Fixing what was Broken
by Karleigh-Q
Summary: Sequel to Narnia Ranch: Edmund and Lucy had a great summer and their long distance relationship has been working great. What happens when someone breaks the rules? EXTREMELY AU!
1. Prologue

A/N So how many of you Narnia Ranch fans hate me right now? I'm so sorry! I got into another fandom, but I'm back and happy to continue! Please don't hurt me!

-Karleigh-Q

Edmund's POV

"Please mom!" I begged, the same way I'd been begging for a good three days, "Please!" However, the same as it had been for three days, my mother was unwavering.

"No Edmund," She told me, not even looking up from her baking, "And calling me 'Mom' isn't going to work this time." I gave a huge sigh, but decided to bring out my secret weapon,

"Okay, Mommy." At that word, mom froze in place and I couldn't tell if she was even breathing anymore, "Mom?" I asked tentatively, a little afraid my secret weapon might have been a little too powerful.

"Who's driving?" She asked, still not turning around, and a grin split on my face.

"Corin," I responded, "And we're staying with General Glenstorm on the base in Brooklyn."

"There'll be a doctor close?" She asked and my smile faded a little. I thought the whole time that she was just being overprotective, and it turns out she was scared I was going to get far away from home and have an attack.

"Yeah," I responded gently, "There's a hospital two blocks from the school, and one on base."

"Okay, you can go, as long as you promise to call me every chance you get." She turned around and pulled me into a hug, despite the fact that I was a least a foot taller than her. I think she liked putting her ear on my chest and listening to my heartbeat, making sure everything was still working as it should. I wrapped my arms around her and responded,

"I will."

"Okay, be sure to tell Lucy hello for us." She said as she released me and swatted me with a spatula, "Go call Corin." And I did just that.

Lucy's POV

As I got off the phone with Tumnus, I couldn't help but feel the twisting in my gut again. Everyone knew Tumnus was more than a friend, even I knew that he was. The only person who didn't know was Edmund, my boyfriend. I always tell myself, the next one who calls, is the one who I'll break it off with. But the next one who calls, or emails, or Skypes is always Edmund, and I don't want to break it off with him. But I like having a boyfriend while I'm in New York. Tumnus knows about Edmund. But he thinks that Edmund knows about him. He doesn't. God, please don't ever let Edmund find out!

A/N: Wow, what a B#%ch! Don't hate me! I promise you won't hate Lucy forever!


	2. A Different sort of Heart Break

Edmund's POV

Gas to New York: $80.00

Heart Healthy Snacks: $30:00

Snacks that actually taste like food: $15.00

Ticket to Lucy's school play: $4.00

Having my heart broken: Priceless

These were the thoughts that ran through my head as I lay on General Glenstorm's couch on Fort Hamilton. I'm sure Corin is confused, since I haven't said a word since we left the school, but I can't stop seeing the picture of Lucy running through my head. It's like the movie reel from hell.

_*Flashback*_

_The play was over and Lucy was fantastic, like I expected her to be. The musical sucked, but I was never one for musical theatre. However, for some reason, watching Lucy play Jo in Little Women (A/N Little Women is a musical. YouTube it!) was a lot of fun. I told Corin I was going to sneak back to the green room to give Lucy the daisies I bought her._

_When I got into the dressing room I saw my girlfriend sucking face with some guy. I didn't want to believe it, so I flagged down one of the girls from the chorus who was checking me out._

"_Excuse me, do you know Lucy Pevensie?" The girl batted her eyelashes and blushed._

"_Yes, she's over with her boyfriend, celebrating a successful opening night. However, I don't have anyone to celebrate with." She was practically hanging off my arm at this point, but all I could hear was the word 'Boyfriend' over and over again,_

"_No, I have to go." I handed her the flowers, "Can you give her these? Tell her they're from Edmund." The girl's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates,_

"_You're Edmund?" She took a step back and seemed to be close to throwing her arms around me in a hug._

"_Yeah, can you just give her the flowers? I don't want to interrupt." I told her, motioning toward where Lucy was still clutching that guy._

"_Yeah, I'll give them to her." She told me, her eyes a little glassy. _

"_What's his name?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know._

"_Michael Tumnus." I nodded, and walked out._

"She has a boyfriend." I said out loud, not knowing if Corin was still awake or not. Either way, it still felt good to hear it out loud. The silence was broken by Corin's confused voice,

"Of course she has a boyfriend. Isn't your girlfriend the reason we drove three hours to see a crappy school musical?" I gave a humorless laugh,

"Let me rephrase that. She has another boyfriend." I gave another laugh, this one wet with tears, "Michael Tumnus." Corin was silent, and I understood the sentiment. I'd been speechless for a good three hours. We sat in silence for a least a half hour. I didn't even know if he was still awake, but somehow, knew he was, "Something has to be wrong with me." Corin didn't say anything, just got up from where he was sleeping in the armchair, strode over to the couch, and pulled me into a hug. For what felt like hours, I cried into his shoulder, wanting to be at home, still living in blissful ignorance.

This is a different kind of heartbreak.

Lucy's POV

I can't believe it! I hit the high G that had eluded me in all of our rehearsals and didn't miss a step during my solo dance. When I got backstage, Michael was waiting there with a bundle of red roses. I had a smile that was a mile wide. I flew into his arms and kissed his lips, trying to ignore the twist of guilt that built in my stomach. After a few minutes, my best friend, Marjorie, brought over a bouquet of daisies.

"Marjorie, you didn't have to buy me flowers." I told her, the smile never leaving my face. For some reason, she was looking at me like I was nothing but dirt beneath her feet.

"I didn't." She sneered out, "Edmund did." After she said this, the smile slipped from my face.

"Edmund's here?" I asked, a little nervous that he had seen my PDA with Tumnus.

"No, he's not here." She told me. I should've felt relieved, but she was still glaring, which I doubt was a good sign.

"But he was here?" I asked, nervously. The fact that her glare became twice as vicious gave me my answer.

"Tumnus, will you excuse us for a moment? I need to speak to Lucy alone." She asked, before grabbing my arm and pulling me out into the hallway. I was still holding the roses that Tumnus gave me, while she was still holding the daisies that Edmund got me.

"Ow, Marjorie, you're hurting me!" I exclaimed, ripping my arm from her grip.

"YOU TOLD ME YOU BROKE UP WITH EDMUND WEEKS AGO!" She yelled once we were alone, "The face I just saw was someone who just had his heart broken, not someone who came to get you back."  
>"I…" I started, but honestly couldn't think of anything to say. The nagging guilt that had been eating at me for weeks was threatening to engulf my entire body. Tears were running down my face, and I didn't bother to brush them away. She held out the daisies to me, placing them next to the roses in my arms.<p>

"So, which set means more to you?" She asked gently, wiping the tears from my face, "Think about it." Then she walked away, leaving me in the quiet hallway with my thoughts. In the background, I could hear the starting of what would surely be a fantastic party, but I just slid down the wall and stared at the flowers in my hand. The roses were beautiful, no one could deny that, but I've never really liked roses. They always seem way too tragic. The daisies, however, have meaning.

_*Flashback*_

_Edmund and I were coming out of the quarry as the sun was setting low in the sky. We had been splashing and playing all day. As I walked over to our towels, I realized that Edmund wasn't next to me. Suddenly, he popped up behind me and wrapped his hands around my waist. I turned in his arms, and blushed as he tucked a wild daisy into my wet hair, before gently kissing me on the lips._

I don't have any of those memories with Tumnus. Edmund and I's relationship was steps from a storybook. I ruined it. As I sat in that empty hallway crying to myself, I realized something. Edmund was the 'One'. I have to get him back.

(A/N I promise You won't hate Lucy forever)


	3. 3 AM Heartbreak

Lucy's POV

It was now three a.m. and I had been trying to get ahold of Edmund for six hours. He wasn't answering his phone and hadn't responded to the forty texts I had sent him. I decided to call him one more time and text him again before going to sleep and trying again in the morning. The phone call, unsurprisingly, went to voicemail. I typed out my text, before taking a deep breath and pressing send:

_Edmund, please text me or call me._

I sat for a few minutes, before going to get my pajamas on. Just as I buttoned the last button on my plaid PJ top, the text tone that I had set just for Edmund dinged. I raced across the room and grabbed my phone:

Leave me alone Lucy

My eyes started to water, because with that one sentence I knew I broke his heart. He never called me Lucy. I was always Lu:

_Please, just pick up when I call you. Please._

I didn't wait for a response, just pressed his button on speed dial and listened to the dial tone. I heard him pick up and my heart lifted.

"What?" He asked in a rough voice. It sounded angry. Edmund never got angry at me.

"Edmund, please listen to me." I pleaded, before he responded in the same rough voice,

"Fine."

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." I was crying now, but tried to hold back my sobs. I didn't want Edmund to hear me. I don't deserve to cry right now.

"For what, cheating on me, or letting me drive three hours to find out that you were cheating on me?" His voice was bitter and cynical in a way that I'd never heard it before, and I couldn't help the sob that escaped.

"Edmund, please forgive me." I begged, "I know I don't deserve it, but please forgive me."

"You know, I'm not even that surprised." He told me in a defeatist tone, "Why should you care about me? God knows no one else has."

"Edmund, that's not true!" I exclaimed, thinking of all the people who did love him.

"Lucy, you wanted to be with that other guy, be with him. Leave me the fuck alone."

The only thing I heard after that was the click of him hanging up. I stared at the phone in my hand, letting the tears flow down my face. I lost him.

Edmund's POV

She's been calling and texting for six hours. It's three a.m. and I haven't even read any of the texts, let alone picked up her phone calls. Finally, after six hours of continuous ring tone, I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket and sent her a text, not even reading any of her past texts:

Leave me alone Lucy

I thought about crying as I sent this, but instead waited for the response I knew was coming:

_Please, just pick up when I call you. Please._

I stood up and left the room, stepping outside into the cold morning air, so I wouldn't wake up Corin. He had finally gotten back to sleep after my mental breakdown. I didn't need to wake him up again. The weird techno tune that I had set as Lucy's ringtone went off and I picked up, not at all in the mood to be polite,

"What?" There was a momentary pause before Lucy's pleading voice came through from the other side,

"Edmund, please listen to me." She pleaded, so I just sighed out,

"Fine."

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." I could tell from her breathing that she was crying, but I didn't feel like comforting her. She dug this hole, why should I pull her out?

"For what, cheating on me, or letting me drive three hours to find out that you were cheating on me?" I snarked back. My anger was brewing just under the surface, ready for the right time to pop.

"Edmund, please forgive me. I know I don't deserve it, but please forgive me." She was flat out begging now, but again, I just didn't feel the compassion I normally felt when she was upset. I didn't want to help her. I was just too tired, too angry, and too heartbroken to make her feel better.

"You know, I'm not even that surprised." My tone was defeated. I knew we were done, "Why should you care about me? God knows no one else has." Her response was sad, but not without a little bit of indignation,

"Edmund, that's not true!" She exclaimed, and I knew she was right, but I was done talking to her,

"Lucy, you wanted to be with that other guy, be with him. Leave me the fuck alone." Without waiting for a response, I hung up my phone, before kicking over the two potted plants that were sitting on General Glenstorm's front porch, breaking the clay pots. My anger wasn't at all ebbing, so I took I quick punch at the house, feeling my blood pressure shooting up. With a sigh, I walked back into the house to take one of my heart pills. I thought this night couldn't get worse.

(A/N: Don't worry! I know it's really angsty right now, but I promise it gets better.)


	4. We have Arrived

(A/N: The Play took place in December. We're doing a super time warp right now!)

Lucy's POV

June 1st

I was sitting on the bus, staring out the window wistfully. I had gotten permission to go back to the ranch this summer. I can only assume that Edmund didn't tell Polly about our less than ideal break-up. Polly and Diggory are letting me bring Marjorie with me this summer, which will be fun, but somehow I didn't have the same overflowing excitement that I had last year. In fact, the only thing I was excited about was seeing Edmund again, even if he wouldn't look at me.

"Lucy," Marjorie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, "We're here." And sure enough, while I had been contemplating what this summer would bring, the bus had pulled into the stop at Felimath. I stood up slowly, grabbed my bag, and walked off the bus with less energy than someone who is walking to their execution.

I stood in the bright light, looking around for Diggory's truck,

"Isn't that Edmund?" Marjorie asked, pointing to the ford pickup that I had always connected with Narnia Ranch. Sure enough, Edmund was leaning against the door, in his typical khaki shorts and Narnia Ranch t-shirt, with aviator mirror sunglasses pulled over his eyes, increasing his aura of mystery. _God, I'm such an idiot._

"Yeah, that's him." At the same time, Edmund must have spotted us, because he started walking over. The butterflies in my stomach started going bezerk, and I started running my hands through my hair nervously. When he was right in front of us, he motioned to the two bags between us,

"Are those your bags?" His voice was cool and calm, betraying nothing of how he was feeling. Instead of saying something, I just nodded. Marjorie picked up the slack though,

"Yeah, the two duffles, why?" No sooner was the question out of her mouth then Edmund grabbed both bags, throwing them over his shoulder and striding back to the truck, leaving us to follow. _Ever the Gentleman. God, I'm such an idiot. _

After we were all squished into the truck, Edmund started toward the ranch, light rock music coming from the radio. His cell phone rang from the glove box and the butterflies came back when he reached over me to grab it.

"Hello" Edmund said into the receiver, smiling his beautiful smile after a minute, "Hey Lizzie, what's up?" There was a pause, before Edmund let out a short laugh, "Yeah, I'll try and be there." Another pause, "I don't know, I'll ask." Edmund turned to us, "My girlfriend is having a party, do you guys want to go? Corin'll be there." I forced out a smile, but knew that my heart was breaking a little. Once again, Marjorie picked up the slack,

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." She chirped out, smiling at Edmund and grabbing my hand. Edmund nodded, before turning back to his phone,

"We'll all be there." He paused, waiting for 'Lizzie' to say something, "Fine, I'll wear the jeans. Am I really this whipped?" Marjorie and I laughed with Edmund when he said that, even though it hurt. "Yeah, me too, later" He finished quickly as we pulled into the ranch. The 'Me Too' hurt more than that whole conversation. I didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they weren't talking about their favorite food.

Marjorie and I went to see Polly in the kitchen when Edmund took our bags back to my room. As soon as I stepped in the kitchen, Polly came at me with a spatula,

"Sit in that chair." She demanded, so we both complied, "Now tell me what happened at the play." She was still waving the spatula, threatening to hit us both with it (which I'd seen her do to Edmund plenty of times so I had no doubt that she would do it.) We were both about to crack when Edmund came back in, took the spatula from Polly's hand, and went and pulled a container of juice labeled 'Heart Healthy' out of the fridge. He did it all in one fluid movement, making him look suave,

"Mom, I told you to let it go. It doesn't matter anymore." He gave me a small smile, which to me said, 'I'm not mad anymore.' So I gave him a small smile back that I hope said, 'I'm sorry.', "Lizzie's having a party tonight. All of us are going."

"Is it going to be like all of her other parties?" Edmund gave a sarcastic smile,

"No, this one is going to be full of drugs, drinking, and illicit sex. I'm hoping to get a girl pregnant tonight." Polly picked up what must've been her back-up-spatula and started beating Edmund with it.

"Edmund Matthew Kirke, don't you even joke about that!" She was shouting, showing no mercy, while Edmund complained,

"Ow! Okay, I'm sorry, stop!" Polly gave him one last whack on his butt, before shooing him outside. While all that was going on, Marjorie had leaned over to me to whisper in my ear,

"Are they always like that?" I gave a small laugh, because this feeling of warmth that the tiny kitchen brought me is what I'd been missing all year.

Once the kitchen had settled down, Polly sat at the table with us, turning to Marjorie and holding a hand out to shake,

"I'm sorry dear. I'm Polly Kirke. You must be Marjorie?" Marjorie laughed, shaking her hand,

"Yes, is it always this loud?" Polly let out her happy laugh,

"No, only when Edmund and I are in the same room. Otherwise, it's pretty quiet." Polly sighed, "If I didn't love him so much, I'd hate him." After a moment, Polly clapped her hands, "So you girls are going to a party at Lizzie's?"

"Yes, she invited us." I responded, feeling the twisting in my gut, "What did you mean by 'all her other parties'?"

Polly let out a laugh and smiled at the two of us, "Lizzie's dad is a EMT, and he's usually there chaperoning. He also lays out Edmund's heart healthy snacks. Once, her dad wasn't there, and someone brought alcohol. Lizzie went straight to the phone and called her dad to break the party up. Luckily, Edmund was in the hospital during that one." Marjorie and I exchanged a look, but didn't comment.

"We didn't get a chance to ask, what time should we be ready?" Marjorie asked, mostly because I was a bit scared to.

"Well, Corin usually gets here around 9ish, so I don't know how long it'll take you ladies to get ready, but dinner is at six." She stood up and walked back over to the stove, "Lucy, you know where your room is." Anyone could tell that we were being dismissed, so we left the room, walking toward what I had come to think of as 'My Room' to unpack.

Edmund's POV

I pulled my truck into the bus station, waiting for the bus from New York. I had talked to Lizzie earlier, letting her know the situation. She was pretty understanding of the fact that I was picking up my ex-girlfriend, who I hadn't talked to since I politely told her to fuck off. She said she'd call me later to find out if I was up to going to her party, or if I wanted to stay home.

Because the AC was broken on the truck, I got out and leaned on the door, pulling my sunglasses down over my eyes. When Corin bought the glasses for my birthday, I had only worn them because I didn't want to offend him, but now they've grown on me. I heard a bus pull up and waited to see if Lucy was going to get off. I knew it her bus when the chorus girl I had talked to at the play clomped off the bus, dragging a duffle bag behind her. A few more people walked off before Lucy walked off, seemingly doing a death march. I was waiting for the feeling of anger, or sadness that I had expected, but I actually felt… glad to see her. The friend pointed at me, so I walked over to the pair, motioning toward their duffles,

"Those your bags?" Lucy looked dumbstruck that I wasn't yelling at her like the last time we talked, so her friend responded,

"Yeah, the two duffles, Why?" I reached down, grabbed both bags, struggling slightly, hoping it didn't show. _What all do girls need? _I walked back over to the truck, tossed the bags into the trunk, before climbing into the cab, Lucy and friend climbing in right after.

We had been driving for a bit with the radio on, before my phone rang, so I reached over both girls, and answered, pretty sure it was Lizzie, but knowing it could also be Polly searching for my truck full of girls,

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ed. Guess who." It was said as a statement, because I knew exactly who it was. I smiled and responded,

"Hey Lizzie, what's up?"

"By your tone of voice, I can tell that you are not miserable, still love me deeply, and are seriously considering coming to my party?" I gave a short laugh. Neither Lizzie nor I were madly in love with each other. We both just came off messy break-ups and just fit well together,

"Yeah, I'll try and be there."

"Didn't Lucy bring a friend? Do you think they'd want to come?" My eyebrows furrowed slightly,

"I don't know, I'll ask." I put the phone against my shoulder and turned toward Lucy and friend (I should really learn her name), "My girlfriend is having a party." Lucy looked a bit heartbroken at the word 'Girlfriend' but did she really expect me to sit around miserable, "Do you guys want to go? Corin'll be there." I threw in the last bit, so Lucy knew that she wouldn't be completely alone. Once again, Lucy looked too dumbstruck to answer so her friend answered for her,

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." She told me with a smile, which I returned, before turning back to my phone,

"We'll all be there."

"You know it would make me really happy if you wore the hot jeans." She joked, half-way serious.

"Fine, I'll wear the jeans. Am I really this whipped?" I told her, making all three girls laugh.

"No, you're not whipped, you just do exactly what I say whenever I say so!" She told me, and I laughed. Afterward she told me, "Can't wait to see you."

"Yeah, Me too." This is a typical hang-up for us. I can't remember ever saying 'Goodbye, 'See Ya', or even 'Later'. Couldn't tell you why.

After I took Lucy and Marjorie's (her name was printed on her duffle) bags back to the spare room, I came back to the kitchen to find Polly waving a spatula at the two girls, threatening to beat them if they didn't tell her the terms of our break-up. I decided to save their lives by walking in, plucking the spatula out of her hand, before grabbing my orange juice out of the fridge.

"Mom, I told you to let it go. It doesn't matter anymore." I said, sending Lucy a small smile. We could always communicate without words, so I hope she got, 'I forgive you' out of it. I think she did, because she sent me one back that said, 'I'm sorry.' I turned back to my mom, "Lizzie's having a party tonight. All of us are going."

"Is it going to be like all of her other parties?" I rolled my eyes and told her, without a little sarcasm,

"No, this one is going to be full of drugs, drinking, and illicit sex. I'm hoping to get a girl pregnant tonight." I realized my mistake after her eyes narrowed and she grabbed a spatula from the sink and began to whap me with it, harder than ever before,

"Edmund Matthew Kirke, don't you even joke about that!" She yelled, pure fury in her eyes and voice.

"Ow! Okay, I'm sorry, stop!" I told her, while trying to curl in on myself. She whacked me one last time, before pushing me out the door. I decided that outside was a great place to hide from her wrath. I walked down to the stables to brush Phillip until it was time for dinner.


	5. Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER:  
>I OWN NOTHING!<p>

LITERALLY NOTHING!  
>Just the plot…<p>

*Sobs at inability to create amazing characters*


	6. Dinner then Time to Go

Edmund's POV

I didn't come back up from the barn until it was time to eat dinner. I know that I have a good twenty pounds of muscle and am at least a foot taller than Polly, but she still scares the hell out of me. Then again, when Peter came to visit for Christmas, Polly had him quaking in his combat boots.

When I sat at the table in my normal seat, the girls and Polly were already there. Polly turned to me and I slunk back, thinking I was still in trouble,

"Do you know where your dad is?" She asked, her voice warm. I let out a sigh of relief, before replying,

"He's still in the barn, trying to get Jewel into his pen." At the mention of the beautiful white horse, I became a bit sulky, "I bet I could've done it." At my tone, Polly whapped me with the spoon that was sitting on the table, and I made a rubbed my arm in pain. The rubber spatulas weren't too bad, but she was breaking into metal now!

"You know why you aren't allowed." She told me, placing her hand on my shoulder. I do know why I'm not allowed. Jewel is a very feisty horse, and if I were to try and help train her, it would raise my blood pressure to extreme levels. Just then, Digory walked into the kitchen and walked over to the sink, washing his hands,

"That horse is a handful." He said with a smile, which only made me pout again, "What's for dinner?"

"I made that macaroni dish that you two inhale." Polly said, and I sat up a little straighter. I was required to eat heart healthy all the time now, so Susan sent Polly a cookbook that had a bunch of food that was worth eating, that I could eat. The macaroni dish was something that Polly hated, but Digory and I both loved.

"Mom, I love you." I said as she took the cover off of the casserole dish. I scooped myself a huge scoop, shoved some in my mouth, before turning to the girls, "This is actually good tasting heart healthy food." This got me a smack on the back of the head,

"Don't talk with your mouth full. There are ladies here." Polly told me, while Digory and the girls laugh. I swallowed, before looking up,

"Why do people laugh when I get in trouble?" I said, scowling a bit. The rest of the meal went on like that, with light joking and teasing. Once the meal was over, I helped Polly clean up and turned to Lucy, who was walking out,

"Hey Lu, Corin is going to be here at nine, so we have to be ready to go by then."

"Okay." She said, grinning like an idiot. I gave her a look and left the kitchen, while trying to figure out what it was that I said made her smile like a six-year-old on Christmas.

Lucy's POV

After Polly had dismissed us and we were comfortably on the beds in the spare room, Marjorie started to dig through my bag, throwing clothes out and into two piles.

"What are you doing?" I asked, a bit scared for her sanity. It wouldn't have been so weird if it wasn't my clothes that she was throwing all over the room. Without looking up from where she was now digging through the smaller of the two piles,

"I'm trying to find you something hot to wear tonight." She told me, "You're not going to win back your country boy wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and boy shorts." As she said that, she held up the pair of beige shorts that I had stolen from Edmund last summer. My stomach twisted at the sight of them,

"Who says that he'll even take me back?" I asked, not without a little hope in my voice. I wanted her to give me some reason to believe that he would ever take me back,

"Please, I saw the way he looked at you." She said, like it was stupid for me to even consider him not wanting me, "He totally still wants you." She laid a black-and-white, striped shirt and a black mini-skirt on one of the beds, "And this outfit will reel him in." She gave me a self-satisfied smirk. One that said, 'I have all the answers to the universe and you better not forget it.'

"There's one problem with your master plan Margie-dearest." I told her, watching her eyebrows furrow in confusion,

"No there's not. This will work." She told me indignantly, angry that I wouldn't agree right away to her plan to win Edmund back,

"Well, while the plan may very well work, we forgot one tiny detail." She gave me the 'What?' look, and I reluctantly murmured out, "He has a girlfriend." Marjorie's face fell, but I wasn't done, "And unlike me, he's not a two-timing ass." Marjorie shifted over to the bed I was sitting on and started to rub my back, while angry tears poured out of my eyes. _How could I throw him away? _

Once I was all cried out, we just sat on the bed in companionable silence for two hours, until it was time for dinner.

Polly, Marjorie, and I were sitting at the worn wooden table, talking about the latest gossip from New York and filling Polly in on what's going on with my mom and her travels, when Edmund slunk in the back door, and shuffled over to his seat at the table, watching Polly warily,

"Do you know where your dad is?" Polly asked Edmund and he replied,

"He's still in the barn, trying to get Jewel into his pen." Edmund seemed to pout (which looked incredibly sexy) at that statement, before mumbling, "I bet I could've done it." before rubbing his arm where Polly had hit him with a spoon, before she placed a hand on his shoulder,

"You know why you aren't allowed." He seemed to acknowledge that he knew why he wasn't allowed, but that didn't stop him from pouting. Digory chose that minute to stroll in, wash his hands, and join us at the table with a smile,

"That horse is a handful." He announced, which made Edmund sulk, (still, incredibly sexy) "What's for dinner?"

"I made that macaroni dish that you two inhale." Polly told him, which made both boys come to attention, and seemed to cheer Edmund up right away. This was odd, because last summer, nothing that had to do with food made him excited, because he just wasn't allowed to eat anything that was good. Polly removed the cover of the casserole dish and, while he was scooping a large plateful, Edmund looked at Polly and said,

"Mom, I love you." before shoving a huge scoop into his mouth. He chewed a little bit, before turning to Marjorie and I, with his mouth still full, "This is actually good tasting heart healthy food."

"Don't talk with your mouth full. There are ladies here." Polly told him with a smack to the head. Everyone laughed at him, while he just scowled. (Also, incredibly sexy)

"Why do people laugh when I get in trouble?" He said, before just starting to pick fun at Polly, who picked at Digory who picked at me, and I picked at Marjorie and she made a wise crack toward Edmund. It was the most fun I'd had in a long time. After the meal had ended, Edmund and I helped clean up and I was just about to leave the kitchen to go put on a clean t-shirt for the party, before Edmund stopped me. "Hey Lu, Corin is going to be here at nine, so we have to be ready to go by then."

"Okay." I told him, trying to contain the grin on my face, but failing miserably. Edmund gave me a look that said that he doubted my sanity, before brushing past me and walking toward his room. I waited until I heard his door shut in the small house, before rushing down the hallway to where Marjorie was picking up the clothes from the earlier explosion of Mount Suitcase, "Marjorie Preston, make me hot." She just grinned, before pointing at the outfit that was sitting on the bed from earlier,

"Get dressed. I'll get the straightener warmed up."

Two and a half hours later, Marjorie and I were both dressed and ready. I had on a black, flouncy mini-skirt that sat up above my navel and a black-and-white striped ¾ length shirt. I didn't bring my nice flats, so I just wore my black converse, and it seemed to go just fine. Marjorie had curled my hair with a straightener, but not without interrogating me first.

_*Flashback*_

"_So what changed your mind?" Marjorie asked, spraying my hair with a spritz of something, "Before dinner, you were completely against looking hot, on the off chance that you turn into a home wrecker." I smiled a tiny smile, nothing like the semi-psychotic, Cheshire cat smile I gave Edmund in the kitchen,_

"_Edmund." I said simply, but that wasn't going to fly,_

"_Edmund, what?" _

"_He called me Lu." I told her, "He hasn't called me that since we broke up." Marjorie smiled with me this time, before returning to my hair._

Marjorie also looked fantastic. She was wearing a bright red tennis skirt that she had stolen the school, and a thin, white, cotton sleeveless shirt that cinched with a delicate white ribbon right above her waistline. Instead of converse, she was wearing her white flip-flops that had clearly seen better days. Instead of curling her hair, she pulled it up with two Japanese hair chopsticks. When I asked what she was dressing up for, she told me 'I wanna rope a country boy too."

"It's NYC meets country." Marjorie said, and I couldn't help but laugh. I heard the front screen door slam and knew Corin was here. I ran my fingers through my hair, before grabbing my shoulder bag and walking down the hallway. When we got to the living room, both boys were facing away from us, talking to Polly. I looked Edmund up and down from behind, realizing why his girlfriend wanted him to wear these particular jeans. Edmund's butt looked hot! Polly motioned to us, making the boys turn around and look at us. Edmund's eyes were riveted on me as he barely gave Marjorie a glance. I blushed in pleasure, knowing that the plan was working.

Edmund looked gorgeous. 'The Jeans' were a dark stonewash, which fit him in all the right places. He was wearing a broken-in brown leather belt and his work boots. His 'Army Strong' t-shirt, that I'm guessing that Peter got for him, fit him perfectly. I don't think he brushed his hair, but it still looked perfect.

"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked in a chipper voice, playing just a little coy. I was more than a little pleased to have Edmund's attention, at least for now.

Edmund's POV

I rifled through my drawer trying to find what Lizzie had proclaimed my 'Sexy Jeans' to make sure they were clean enough to wear. I found them, luckily with no stains, and threw them on my desk chair before setting my alarm for 8:30 and lying down for a nap.

When my alarm went off, I stood up and stretched, before changing into the 'Sexy Jeans' and an old t-shirt that Peter had sent me. I ran my fingers through my hair, brushed my teeth, and walked out to the living room. It wasn't five minutes later that Corin walked in without knocking, and Polly came in to give us the usual lecture, extended due to the fact that we were taking girls to the party,

"No drugs. No drinking. No sex. If you have sex, use a condom. No fighting." The last one she directed right at Corin, before turning to me, "If you start to feel sick, go find Mr. Ramandu." She motioned to the hallway, "And you make sure both of those girls come home safe." Corin and I both turned around and spotted the two girls standing in the entrance to living room. I tried to look away but my eyes were locked on Lucy.

She was wearing some sort of mini-skirt, which showed off way more leg than should be legal. Her hair fell curly on her shoulders and her shirt clung to her in a way that kind of made me want to jump her. I felt my heart rate pick up, hoping no one could notice. Her voice was musical and light when she asked,

"Are you guys ready to go?" I bit back a groan. This was going to be a long night.

**A/N: The next chapter is the party! Review please!**


	7. Lizzie

Lucy's POV

We pulled up to a large brick house, smaller than some of the mansions that I've seen around here, but much larger than the farm house. There were several other cars parked out front, many trucks like Corin's, but I couldn't stop watching Edmund and Corin. An ACDC song had come on the radio, so they had started to drum on the dashboard and sing off-key.

"And you, shook me All Night Long." Corin screeched out, before Edmund picked up with,

"Yeah you shook me, then you took me All Night Long!" He sounded a little like a dying cat, and I tried to discreatly cover my ears. The song came to an end and Marjorie and I both gave sighs of relief. Marjorie, being the bolder of the two of us, leaned forward to the front seat.

"Boys, keep your day jobs." She told them and I watched them jump in surprise. _Jeez, they forgot we were here. _After mumbled apologies, Corin turned off the car and we all piled out. Corin and Edmund were both still scarlet when we knocked on the door of the house.

After a few moments, the door was opened by the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. She took one look at Corin and Edmund's embarrassed faces, before turning to us with a wry smirk, "ACDC came on didn't it."

Marjorie and I both laughed as Corin puffed up indigently, "Come on Liz, even you can't resist singing along when _Highway to Hell_ comes on." My laughter trailed off and my smile became forced. _This was Lizzie? _

She was at least a foot taller than me, with super model legs and a curvy figure. Her yellow-blonde hair fell in natural curls down her back and over her shoulders. The white tank-top she was wearing was clinging to her curves in a sexy, yet innocent way, and her denim mini-skirt showed off just enough leg to be hot and had enough hidden so that it wasn't slutty. Her feet were bare, but she had a thin anklet on. _I can't compete with this_.

She stepped forward and claimed Edmund's lips with her perfect plump ones, before grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. He gave a motion for us to follow, before wrapping his arms around her waist and following her inside. I let out a disappointed sigh, before walking into the house.

Edmund's Pov

I flipped the radio on in the truck while we were driving to Lizzie's house and listened quietly for a few minutes, until _You Shook Me All Night Long _by ACDC came on. Corin and I exchanged a quick glance, before he started to sing,

"She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean, she was the best damn woman I had ever seen. She had the sightless eyes, telling me no lies. Knockin' me out with those American thighs" I joined in with the next verse.

"Taking more than her share, had me fighting for air. She told me to come, but I was already there." Corin joined in on the next verse and we sang in perfectly off-key unison,

"'Cause the walls start shaking, the earth was quaking. My mind was aching, and we were making it and you Shook me all night long! Yeah, you shook me all night long" It continued like this for the rest of the song, until the final guitar riff. We had pulled into Lizzie's driveway when Marjorie leaned forward with a smile.

"Boys, keep your day jobs." She snarked out, making Corin and I both jump. In the middle of our impromptu concert, we had both forgotten about the girls in the backseat. I turned red and looked at the ground as we climbed out of the car and walked up to the front door. I rang the doorbell and Lizzie came to answer it, dressed like she just popped out of the sixties. She took one look at Corin and I's red faces and turned to Lucy and Marjorie.

"ACDC came on didn't it," She asked with a knowing smile. I turned even redder and didn't respond, but Corin, who was always quick to get over embarrassment, was quick on the draw.

"Come on Liz, even you can't resist singing along when _Highway to Hell_ comes on." I gave a short laugh, cocking an eyebrow at her, because as bad of singing voices that Corin and I have, Lizzie sounds like an out-of-tune Violin being played by a dying cat. Lizzie gave me her look, before leaning forward and capturing my lips and pulling me into the house. I gave a wave behind me for the others to follow.

Lucy's POV

Marjorie and I were standing in the corner talking about New York, when Lizzie came over with sodas.

"Hey, are you guys having a good time?" She asked, her voice musical and light. I couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, this is a lot different than any party I've ever been to." I told her honestly. I was used to formal events like my mom always throws or drunken keggards like the party from last summer. The atmosphere in this room was mellow, with only a few people who all seemed to know each other. They were just all hanging out and having fun.

"Yeah, Edmund came into school after one of Aravis' drunken shindigs, complaining about it being nothing but an excuse to get drunk and act like an idiot." She told us, "So one time when Aravis was having a party, we got a bunch of people together and they all came over here. Now we do it all the time." She ended this with a blinding smile. Marjorie, who had been using all of her flirting powers on Corin all night turned to Lizzie and asked,

"So… does Corin have a girlfriend?" Her eyes never left Corin, but my eyes hadn't left Edmund most of the night, so I couldn't fault her.

"I don't know if he has a girlfriend right now, you'd have to ask Edmund." Lizzie laughed out, "He goes through women faster than Casanova." This time I laughed with her, but Marjorie was searching the room now, presumably to find Edmund, "He's in the kitchen, probably getting a soda." Lizzie told her, in a bored tone, like she was used to girls looking for Edmund. Marjorie murmured a quick thank you, before darting her way toward the kitchen. Lizzie then turned back to me, with a serious look on her face.

"You know Edmund and I aren't in love." I looked at her in surprise, wondering how she knew what I was thinking, "I do like him, and I think he likes me, but we got together out of convenience, and because he's probably the only guy in school who actually understands me." I gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean?" She gave me a small sad smile, like the ones that Edmund gave me at the beginning of last summer, and I understood. _She was a foster child! _I just nodded, so she knew that she didn't have to say it.

"We were really good friends, but he got sick of having to get in fights over guys trying to grope me in the hallway. Finally, one day, in the middle of the cafeteria, he just planted one on me and gave everyone a look that said 'Hands Off'. That was about three months ago." I laughed with her at that. Unlike Edmund, she seemed to be able to see the good things in life. Her good thing seemed to be Edmund.

"I'm glad you guys have each other." I told her honestly, because she seemed to make him happy. As much as I wish it was me, she was with him and she made him happy.

"He loves you too much to love me." She said, the smile never leaving her face. I reeled back in shock. _Edmund still loves me?_

"He can't love me," I told her, "Not after what I did." Lizzie's eyes narrowed dangerously, and I curled in on myself, hoping to protect myself from whatever she was going to dish out.

"I know what you did." She said, "And Corin and I wanted to drive to NYC so I could kick your ass personally. But Edmund said to let it go, so we all tried to." Her fists were clenching and I took a step back, "You broke my best friend's heart…" She was cut off when Edmund came up and wrapped his arms around her waist, whispering something in her ear.

"Hey Lu," If I wasn't so terrified that Lizzie was going to kill me, my heart would've lifted at Edmund's use of my nickname, "Mind if I steal her away?" I shook my head, because I was completely okay with getting this crazy woman away,

"No, that's fine." Edmund gave me his crooked smile and I wanted to melt into goo right on the living room carpet.

"Why don't you go meet some people? Your friend has." He joked, motioning to where Corin and Marjorie were already in a heavy make-out session. I gave a short laugh and a nod, before I watched Edmund lead Lizzie away. _They even look good together._

Edmund's POV

Lizzie led me into the kitchen, where she pulled me down by the neck and into a kiss that was worthy of one of those trashy novels that Mom always reads. When we separated, my heart was beating a bit faster and my breathing was quick.

"What was that for?" I asked, wrapping my arm around her waist and leading her into the living room.

"It's just 'cus I love ya" She said jokingly with a giggle, before poking me in the side. I folded up in mock pain with a smile, before falling on the couch and pulling Lizzie on my lap. We sat like that for a while, talking and joking until Lizzie stood up suddenly, "I need a drink. Do you want something?" I shook my head and she flounced toward the kitchen. Corin came and sat beside me on the couch.

"So Lucy's friend," He said in a suggestive tone, making it clear what he was thinking.

"Geez Cassanova, can't you think about anything else?" I snarked out, exhaling and leaning my head back.

"Easy for you to say, you've got two smoking hot girls in mini-skirts vying for your attention." He gave me a crooked grin, "It must be so hard to be you." I let out a laugh, before standing up and going to the kitchen for something to eat.

I was picking through some chex mix, trying to pull all of the pretzels out, when Marjorie came up and stood beside me, not saying anything. I turned and looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" She gave me a creepy smile, that made me want to sleep in the barn tonight.

"I was just wondering…" She trailed off, looking shyly at her feet. I waited for her to finish, but when she didn't, I cocked my eyebrow again.

"Yeah?"

"Does Corin have a girlfriend?" She stuttered out and I started laughing. I laughed so hard that I ended up bent over and in tears. Marjorie turned bright red and started glaring at me, but I managed to choke out,

"I'm not laughing at you, I swear." She gave me a few moments to pull myself together before she spat out,

"What were you laughing at?" I was still chuckling, but could at least talk now.

"No, it's just Corin was asking about you about ten minutes ago." Her face lit up like a Christmas.

"Really, he did?" _Jeez, I am so not prepared for girl talk._

"Yeah, I bet he's in the living room." I actually had no clue where he was, but I didn't want to have to start talking about the pluses and minuses of sucking face with Corin Archenland. My fib worked and she scurried off to find Corin, and I turned back to picking out all of the Pretzels.

After all of the pretzels were gone, I went to find Lizzie. I saw her in the living room, talking to Lucy. Her fists were clenched and her back was tense, so I quickly made my way across the room, passing Corin and Marjorie sucking face in the corner, to catch the end of Lizzie's statement,

"You broke my best friend's heart…" I cut her off by wrapping my arms around her waist and leaning down to her ear.

"I said let it go." Her whole body seemed to relax and she leaned back into my arms. She obviously needed to talk alone, "Hey Lu, Mind if I steal her away?" Lucy answered with a shake of her head.

"No, that's fine." She seemed a bit scared and I'm sure that Lizzie will feel guilty for scaring her later.

"Why don't you go meet some people? Your friend has." I told her with a crooked grin, motioning to where Corin and Marjorie were having a PG-13 party. Then I wrapped my arm around Lizzie's waist and led her outside.

When we were in her back garden, I pulled her to the ground to sit between my legs on the damp grass, her back against my chest and my arms wrapped around her torso.

"So what's wrong?" I asked, and waited for a few moments until she decided what she wanted to say.

"I tried to like her, I really did." She said and I knew immediately who 'her' was, "But then she brought up the breakup, looking heartbroken, like you had done something to her." Lizzie let out a deep breathe, trying to release all of her anger, "I just lost it I guess."

"Liz, I know you want to protect me, but you need to let this go." She turned in my arms to look at me,

"Why? Why should I let it go?" She ranted, "She hurt you, broke your heart and you're just going to forgive and forget. Why?" I sighed.

"For the same reason you forgave Rillian when he cheated, I love her." I told her quietly, kissing her neck.

"We're breaking up aren't we?" She whispered. It was a question, but it didn't really need an answer. I just held her a little tighter, "That's okay, we weren't ever really together."

"Yeah, I try to stop guys from grabbing you, and end up getting tied down." I said, trying to make her laugh. I succeeded and she shot back,

"What about me? I just wanted to be a single woman, but then you grab me in the cafeteria and shove your tongue down my throat." I laughed with her, squeezing her tighter.

"Are we still best friends?" I asked, not at all worried about the answer.

"Yeah, BFFL's" She told me, leaning back against my shoulder.


	8. Gumpas Grocery

Edmund's POV

I walked into the kitchen, running my fingers through my hair and yawning. I collapsed in my seat at the table and laid my head down. Mom took one look at me and shook her head.

"I take it you had a good time last night?" I let out another yawn, before lifting my head off of the table.

"Well, Lizzie wanted to kill Lucy, which was fun to break up." I told her, picking at the eggs that she had put in front of me, before mom hit me with her spatula.

"Eat those, don't just pick." I sighed and took a bite, "So did anything else exciting happen?" I let out another yawn, before taking a drink of my orange juice.

"Lizzie and I broke up." I told her, waiting for the explosion. It came.

"YOU WHAT!" She yelled, hitting my shoulder with her spatula, "I thought you liked Lizzie, and you two were so perfect together!" I winced at her tone, because, even though it has been two years, I guess I'm still not used to someone worrying about me that much.

"Mom, we're better off friends and everyone knows it." Mom gave a big sigh, before sinking into the seat beside me.

"I know, but I just want you to be happy." I put my head back on the table, now that she had stopped yelling.

"I think we only stayed together this long because we were afraid that it would hurt our friendship." She patted my arm, before going back to the stove.

"So what do you have planned today?" I gave a sigh, before standing up.

"I have to work at the grocery." I bent backwards cracking my back. Mom sighed, and put her lecture face on.

"I wish you would quit that job. Gumpas is nothing short of a slave-driver" I gave another sigh, pulled her in for a hug, before going to do my morning work in the barn.

Lucy's POV

I laid in bed, hoping that last night wasn't a dream. Lizzie and Edmund broke up and Edmund still loves me. I have a chance now. Finally, after pinching myself for the fifth time, I stood up and got ready. I walked into the kitchen where Polly was making eggs and sat down at the table.

"Morning Polly." I said, hoping that she would say something about Edmund and Lizzie.

"Good Morning Lucy. How did you sleep?" She said, in her normal, chipper voice. I'll never understand how the Kirkes can be so happy in the morning, "We're going to need your help in the barn today, more than usual."

"Why? Nothing's wrong with Edmund is it, I mean, he's healthy right?" I rushed out, thinking about how Edmund was on bed rest last summer after his attack. Polly looked confused for a moment, before letting out a short laugh.

"No, nothing's wrong. He took a part-time job at a grocery store in town and has to work today." She gave another laugh, "If you hang around, you can see him in his uniform." I laughed a little, thinking of the uniform that Marjorie's brother had to wear when he worked at McDonalds.

"I can't wait. I thought he worked full-time here, why did he take another job?" I asked, curious as to why he would want to work another job.

"He does work full-time, but we don't pay much. Digory gave Edmund his truck when he got his license, but he still needs to pay for gas and half of his insurance. He's also saving to go to college. That boy has big dreams." She told me, sitting at the table with two plates of eggs, just as Marjorie came in the kitchen with a star-struck look on her face.

"Morning Mrs. Kirke, Morning Lucy." She said in a whispy voice, making her sound flaky. I couldn't help but wonder if her sudden I-Q drop had anything to do with a certain blonde-haired boy she was playing tonsil hockey with last night, "How are all of you today?" Polly and I exchanged a look, before I got up and poured her a strong cup of coffee, before placing it in front of her.

"Here, drink that." I told her, knowing she would listen. Before I could say that it was hot she had picked up the chipped mug and taken a long drink.

"Why didn't you tell me it was hot?" She rasped out, throat soar from the hot drink.

"I tried." I told her, trying to suppress my laughter.

"I take it you had a good night." Polly said wryly. I lost the battle and bust out laughing. Marjorie poked me with her fork before starting to pick at my breakfast. I pushed the plate toward her.

"Marjorie got to know Corin very well last night." I told Polly, watching Marjorie turn red and put her head down.

"See this is why we adopted a boy." Polly said.

"Why did you adopt a boy?" Edmund asked as he walked in the backdoor. Marjorie and I broke into giggles.

"Girl talk. I don't know how much I could take." She told the kitchen, as Edmund picked a piece of toast off my plate, "Luckily you take all of your problems to Peter and Susan. We just have to feed and house you." Edmund laughed, before walking out of the kitchen.

"So things are better with Peter now?" I asked, knowing that last summer they weren't the best of friends.

"Yeah, they talk every couple weeks or so." Polly told Marjorie and me, "Edmund is the best man in his wedding that is coming up."

"That's cool. I know he missed his brother." We sat and ate in silence for a few minutes until Edmund came in the kitchen in his grocery store uniform, which was the funniest thing I'd ever seen in my life. It was a pair of brown slacks, that were almost too short, and a neon orange t-shirt that had a logo for "Gumpas Grocery" in clean white smack dab in the middle. He was holding a baseball hat that was the same color as his shirt, and had a name-tag on that said, "Welcome to Gumpas, My name is EDMUND. Ask about our specials."

"Don't either of you dare ask." He told us with a glare. Meanwhile, the Marjorie, Polly, and I were all cracking up! Marjorie, with barely contained laughter, forced a straight face.

"I like it Edmund. You only look a little like a traffic cone." He sent a glare her way, focusing just on her. Edmund, having been known to have rather intense stares, shut her up rather quickly.

"Mom, I get off at five. Do you need me to bring anything home?" He asked Polly, clearly dismissing both of us.

"Not right now, but I'll text you later." She told him and he nodded, before walking out the door. After we heard his truck pull off, Marjorie and I started cracking up. Polly sat down with us, "That's exactly what his sister thought when I sent a picture to her. She called him right away to tell him that he looked like a human traffic cone." Polly started laughing, "Edmund wouldn't talk to me for a week."

"He's pretty stubborn, how'd you get him to talk to you again." I asked, knowing very few things could make Edmund do something he didn't want to do.

"I stopped feeding him." She said simply, "If he was going to ignore me, I was going to ignore him." Marjorie and I laughed at Polly's techniques of getting Edmund to do what she wanted.

Edmund's POV

At six o'clock, I was finally in the break room. I'd been loading boxes since nine o'clock this morning and only had a ten minute break for a nutri-grain bar. One of my co-workers, Rhince, came in and saw me still there.

"Hey Ed, didn't you get off at five?" He asked. I reached into my locker, pulling out a pill bottle and taking an aspirin. "Why are you still here?"

"Gumpas kept me for another hour stacking boxes." I leaned backwards and heard my back crack two or three times. I picked my phone up and saw that I had ten texts from mom. I gave a sigh, holding up my phone, "My mom is flipping shit."

"You have a heart condition. You can't do that kind of labor for nine straight hours." He fussed, making me sigh.

"Geez Rhince, I'm already going to get this when I get home. Can you please save the lectures for your daughter?" I told him, grabbing my car keys from my locker and pulling a water bottle out of the employee fridge.

"Alright, but when Gael, throws a fit, I'm telling her you said to yell at her." He joked, making me laugh. I checked my pocket for my wallet, before clocking out.

"I'll see you next week man." I threw over my shoulder, before leaving as fast as possible, before my boss could come up with something new for me to do.

Once I was home, luckily not hitting any traffic, I parked the truck and was mauled by Mom the second I stepped out. She reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck, squeezing tightly.

"Where were you? You got off at five, it's now six thirty." I pulled her into a hug, holding her.

"I got held longer." I gave a yawn, "I stacked boxes for nine hours straight." She let me go, before hitting me on the chest. She opened her mouth to yell at me, "Can you yell at me tomorrow? Right now I need one of my Cordarone and to go to sleep." Her face changed from furious to worried in a record 0.5 seconds as she hustled me into the house. It's unusual for me to actually ask for my heart pills, so she knows something must be wrong. She hustled me all the way to my room, where I stripped out of my work uniform, putting on a pair of comfortable pajamas. No sooner had I climbed into bed, then Mom came bustling in with my pills, a glass of water, and a plate of crackers, "I'm not hungry." I told her, grabbing for the water. Mom forced the crackers at me.

"You have to eat with your pills, so eat." Not in the mood to argue, I ate two crackers, took my pills and was asleep almost instantly.

Lucy's POV

It was five thirty and Polly was pacing the kitchen. She was nervous because Edmund was a half hour late from coming home from work. Digory, Marjorie, and I were all trying to calm her down.

"Love, he probably just got caught in traffic." Digory soothed, grabbing her hand. This did nothing to placate her.

"He would've called or texted if he knew he was going to be late." She countered, "He knows I worry." She picked up her phone to send another text to Edmund, making this number six, before returning to pacing.

One hour and six texts later, we heard the rickety truck pull up. Polly pushed all of us out of the way as she moved toward the front door. We heard her muffled yelling, and after a slight pause the front door slammed and Polly came into the kitchen and started bustling around, before rushing back out. Marjorie, Digory, and I had enough time to stare at each other before Polly came back and sank into her seat.

"Is he okay?" I asked her after a brief second. Polly gave a sigh, before nodding.

"Yeah. His slave driver boss had him lifting boxes for nine hours, so he was just tired." Polly's face seemed to contort with anger, "I ought to go and give Gumpas a piece of my mind." She reminded me of the time we went to the zoo and I saw a mama bear defending her cubs. A quick look at Marjorie told me she was thinking the same thing.

"Did you give him his Cordarone?" Digory asked, and Polly nodded.

"And some crackers. He said he just wanted to sleep."

"What's Cordarone?" Marjorie asked. I was glad she asked because I wanted to, but didn't want to seem stupid.

"It's a new pill his doctor put him on. It regulates his heart tempo." Polly told us, "He takes it every night and it's been working so far." Marjorie and I just nodded. "Well, Edmund didn't bring back the groceries I needed, so how about sandwiches for dinner?" Everyone nodded and Polly stood up and got into the fridge for sandwich stuff.

Marjorie and I were chilling in our room, talking about girl stuff, when it suddenly got intense.

"So what exactly is wrong with Edmund's heart?" She asked. I pursed my lips thoughtfully, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't exactly know." I told her, "I never really asked him what his exact condition was. I think it was something he was born with."

"Well, it didn't affect his looks any." She said, and my eyes narrowed. She noticed, and backtracked, "Hey, he's yours. I'm partial to blondes myself." She told me with a dreamy look, "I'm just saying that every description that you ever gave of him was completely understated. He's sexy" I gave a laugh.

"And you've only seen him with his shirt on." I told her with a blush.

"Well, Little Miss. Lucy!" She said suggestively, before we both erupted into giggles, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm beat from playing farm hand all day!" I laughed again, "G'night Lu."

"Night Margie."

A\N: This chapter was kinda hodge podge. Honestly, I all around hate it. But it's leading up to some of that ED/LU goodness that we all love!

Also Cordarone is an actual pill. If you want to read about it check out:

.com/drugs/drug-5215-Cordarone+?drugid=5215&drugname=Cordarone+Oral&source=2


	9. 2:15

Lucy's Pov

_"So what was Corin's fight about?" Edmund gave a weak chuckle, his breathing still a little labored,_

_"Corin is really good at talking himself into situations. He's not so good at talking himself out." I laughed, then noticed how close Edmund and I were. He looked into my blue eyes and started to lean closer, his eyes now on my lips. What happened next happened so quick, it's hard to remember it all. One second, I can feel Edmund's breath on my lips, and the next he's laying at the foot of the bench, gasping. I dropped down and heard him gasping out,_

_"Heart attack, get Corin, 911," before he stopped breathing and his eyes fluttered shut. I spotted some girls crying on the back porch and yelled for help, before turning Edmund over and beginning CPR. They ran over and between compressions, I relayed Edmund's instructions; get Corin, call 911. What seemed like hours later, Edmund was being loaded into an ambulance, and Corin and I were going to meet it at the hospital. __Please let Edmund be okay!_

I sat up with a gasp, covered in sweat. My heart was racing a million miles a minute and my breathing wouldn't slow. I swung my legs out of my bed and padded across the hall to Edmund's room. I just had to check.

Edmund's window was open, blowing the navy curtains back toward the door and there was a distinct chill in the room, cooling the sweat that was drying on my skin. I looked to Edmund's bed, and saw him wrapped in his blankets, curled up facing the wall opposite me. I didn't want to wake him, but at the same time needed tactile proof that he was still breathing.

I tip-toed over to his side, and gently touched his arm. Quicker than I could pull away, Edmund reached out and grabbed my arm, squeezing it and whimpering.

"Don't touch me. Please stop." He looked about three-years old and was shaking. I started calling his name trying to wake him up.

"Edmund, Edmund wake up. It's just a dream, Wake up." Eventually, I saw his eyelashes flutter, and felt his grip on my arm loosen. He sat up in bed, looking straight at me.

"Lucy, what are you doing in here?" He asked, his voice husky from sleep. Despite the situation, I still found that to be incredibly sexy.

"I had a bad dream." I was rubbing my wrist, and he pointed at it.

"What happened to your wrist?" I gave him a small smile, one that said there were no hard feelings,

"You had a bad dream." I watched all the blood leave his face. I sat down on the bed and he scooted over so I could lie down beside him. "What was your dream about?" He gave me a small smirk.

"No, I want to know what has you prowling in my room at…" He paused to look at the bedside clock, "2:15. You woke me up, so start talking." I let out a quiet giggle, before turning serious.

"I dreamt about your heart attack from last summer." Tears started rolling down my face and Edmund grabbed my hand, rubbing the back of it, "You weren't breathing in the dream, so I had to make sure you were really still here." Edmund gave a nod, before wrapping his arm around me, pulling me close to his chest, which I just noticed was bare. I was still too shaken up to even fully appreciate the pale abs.

"I'm still here Lu." He whispered into my hair, just holding my while I cried. Once all my tears were gone, I sat up and looked into Edmund's dark eyes.

"Your turn." I told him, watching his face pale.

"It was before I was in foster care. I was six-years-old again, trying to protect myself against someone who was Digory's size." He gave a ragged sigh, "I thought I was going to die." He buried his head in my hair, and his shoulders shook with the tears that he wouldn't or couldn't shed in the daylight. Once all his tears were gone, I lifted his head to mine.

"Ed," I told him firmly, making him meet my eyes, "Your still here." He gave a wet laugh, before tilting his head toward the ceiling. I rested my head on his chest.

"I haven't cried since I was seven." He admitted almost silently after a few minutes. I was shocked by his statement, but not surprised, "What the hell do you do to me Lu?" I let out a giggle, before meeting his eyes.

"I don't know, but if I figure it out, I'll let you know."

"I never got to tell you…" He started, before trailing off, obviously wondering if he should really say what he was thinking.

"Tell me what?" I urged, hoping that would be all the encouragement he needed. It was.

"You were brilliant at the play. You definitely deserved the lead." I stiffened, realizing why he hesitated. I was the reason that he never got to tell me. I risked a look at his face, not seeing any animosity there, seeing only congratulations.

"I never got to thank you for the daises." I told him, in the same even tone that he used, "They were beautiful and reminded me of the date at the quarry." Edmund gave a snort.

"My first chance to really impress you and I take you swimming in a quarry where God knows what lives." He gave another snort, "How red-neck can you get?" My stomach started to churn at the depreciating tone he was using toward our first date.

"I loved that day." He gave another snort, "No really, it was fun to just get away from people for a few hours. God knows we needed it." He turned to look at me, "I kept the flower too."

"Good, because that's about as romantic as I get." He told me, his tone joking now.  
>"Don't lie. You have secret fantasies of taking girls on candle-lit dinners and dancing in the rain." I burst into giggles at the thought.<p>

"Sorry, I don't dance and electricity was invented for a reason." He wasn't laughing, but in the darkness, I could make out his smile and heard the teasing tone of his voice. I giggled again, and he looked down at my face, "Hey Lu, I'm sorry for the way I acted after we broke up. I was an ass and nobody deserved that."

"I did." I said, remorsefully, "I don't get why you forgave me." I looked up at his face and he leaned closer, our faces breaths apart. We were just about to kiss when a door closed out in the hallway, jolting us apart.

"You should go back to your room." He said in a whisper, as if speaking louder would set off the tension that was always between us. I nodded and stood up. "G'Night Lu." I gave his a shy smile.

"Good night Ed."

Edmund's POV

I was pulled out of my nightmare by a quiet voice calling my name. I opened my eyes and sat up, looking at Lucy, who was rubbing her wrist.

"Lucy, what are you doing in here?" My voice was still thick with sleep, but I was glad to be awake. She looked at the ground.

"I had a bad dream." She told me, still rubbing her wrist.

"What happened to your wrist?" I was a bit more coherent now, so I was aware that she was probably in a bit of pain. She sent me a forgiving smile.

"You had a bad dream." She told me gently and all the blood left my face, in memory of the dream and because I had hurt Lucy. She sat down on the bed, so I scooted over so she could lie against me, "What was your dream about?" She asked, and inside I panicked. I wasn't ready to talk just yet. Instead I sent Lucy as sly smile.

"No, I want to know what has you prowling in my room at…" I checked my alarm clock, "2:15. You woke me up, so start talking." She started to giggle, before becoming grim.

"I dreamt about your heart attack from last summer." I was floored, and automaticly grabbed her hand and started rubbing it gently, "You weren't breathing in the dream, so I had to make sure you were really still here. I gave a nod and pulled her against my chest and let her cry. I whispered into her hair and tried to comfort her.

"I'm still here Lu." After the tears were gone, and my chest was properly soaked, Lucy sat up and looked at me.

"Your turn." She said bluntly. I could feel all the blood leave my face and I looked up.

"It was before I was in foster care…"

'_Edmund, where are you, you worthless bastard?' I heard him yell from the front hallway, but tried to stay silent, hoping he wouldn't find me. I had found a very good hiding spot under the kitchen sink. It smelled like bleach and other chemicals, but I don't think he'll look for me here. I heard him storm into the kitchen and walk over to the sink. I let out an involuntary whimper of fear, because he was so close and he could find me. He must've heard me because he bent down and pulled me out from under the sink, banging my head on the pipes and counter, 'I called for you, you little mistake! What were you doing, playing hide-and-seek?' He threw me against the fridge, making me bang my head on the corner. I felt blood trickling down my neck._

'_Please stop, please!' I cried out, trying to run out of the house. He grabbed me by the leg, pulling me back down to the ground._

'_You can't do anything right can you?" He sneered out, 'Can't even take a beating right.' I started to cry. Where were Peter and Susan? _

'_Please stop, don't touch me!' I cried out, as he pulled down my pants and started spanking my bottom. It hurt so much. _

I don't know at which point in the story I had buried my face in Lucy's hair, but I knew that now I was sobbing like the worthless bastard he always told me I was. After I had cried nine years-worth of tears into Lucy's hair and my breathing had calmed, she forced me to look at her.

"Ed, you're still here." She told me, and I let out a laugh, that was a borderline sob, before looking up at the celing, with Lucy's head on my bare chest, which is how we sat for a good few minutes.

"I haven't cried since I was seven." I whispered, "What the hell do you do to me Lu?" She giggled and looked up at me.

"I don't know, but if I figure it out, I'll let you know."

"I never got to tell you…" I trailed off, not knowing if it was a good idea to bring up old memories.

"Tell me what?" She asked eagerly, so I decided to go ahead.

"You were brilliant at the play. You definitlely deserved the lead." She stiffened in my arms, and looked up at my face. She hesitated for a minute.

"I never got to thank you for the daises. They were beautiful and reminded me of the date at the quarry." She told me, which made me snort.

"My first chance to really impress you and I take you swimming in a quarry where God knows what lives." Another laugh, "How red-neck can you get?" She her posture became indigent, even though I couldn't see her face in the dark bedroom.

"I loved that day." She told me, making me laugh again, "No really, it was fun to just get away from people for a few hours. God knows we needed it." I agreed with that. Mom had both of us on house arrest at the time. I turned to look at her face, "I kept the flower." I wanted to bust up laughing at the thought of my lame attempt at romance.

"Good, because that's about as romantic as I get." I joked.

"Don't lie. You have secret fantasies of taking girls on candle-lit dinners and dancing in the rain." She told me, before erupting into quiet laughter, which made me smile.

"Sorry, I don't dance and electricity was invented for a reason." I told her, making her laugh again. I looked down at her smiling face and realized that I had missed this easy companionship we have, "Hey Lu, I'm sorry for the way I acted after we broke up. I was an ass and nobody deserved that." Lucy got a sad look on her face.

"I did. I don't get why you forgave me." She said, looking toward me._ Because I'm in love with you! _I didn't say anything, just leaned closer until I could feel her breath on my lips. Our lips were about to touch when the bathroom door closed, breaking our spell.

"You should go back to your room." _Because I can't promise to be a gentleman. _She nodded and walked to the door, "G'Night Lu." I told her with a smile.

"Good night Ed." She replied, walking out with a blush.

A/N I am Ridiculously proud of this chapter! Yes, that is Edmund's actual heart attack from NR, and if you want to understand the flower check out the beginning of this story!

READ AND REVIEW!


	10. Disclaimer 2

DISCLAIMER:  
>I OWN NOTHING!<p>

LITERALLY NOTHING!  
>Just the plot…<p>

*Sobs at inability to create amazing characters*


	11. Will You Go?

Lucy's POV

It had been a few days since our midnight conversation, when Edmund walked into the kitchen, talking on his cell phone.

"Geez, you don't call to talk to me anymore." There was pause, where Edmund's eyebrows, furrowed gently, "You're such an ass." Another pause, followed by a sigh, "Fine, I'll get her." He put the phone on his shoulder, "Hey Lu, do you know where Marjorie is? Corin wants to talk to her."

"I think she's getting dressed." I told him, watching his cheeks turn bright red, "I can take the phone to her." I suggested, knowing this was one phone call that Marjorie wouldn't want to miss.

"Yeah, do that." He said, before practically throwing the phone at me and darting out the door. He was obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation. I picked the phone up and put it to my ear.

"Hey Corin," I told him, "How's it going?"

"Hey baby, everything's great now." He said, trying to be smooth. I giggled into the receiver.

"It's Lucy." I told him, and heard him sputtering. I could practically hear the blush.

"Hey Lu," He said nervously, "You're not going to say anything to Edmund about this are you. He'd kill me." I laughed again, elated by this fact.

"Your secret's safe with me. Here's Marjorie." I told him, as I handed her Edmund's cell phone.

Marjorie's POV

"Hello?" I questioned, wondering who would be calling me, on Edmund's cell phone.

"Marjorie?" Corin's voice questioned.

"Yeah, hi Corin. What's up?" I asked, nervously running my hands through my hair. _Why is he calling me? Does he want to go out? _

"Well, the church carnival is coming up." He paused, and I got nervous.

"Yeah, What about it?" I was practically pulling my hair out of my roots.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me." He asked timidly, and I was jumping for joy inside.

"Well, I'll have to ask Mrs. Kirke, but I'd really like to." I told him, "Here, talk to Lucy, I'll go ask." I practically threw the phone at Lucy, before running out of the room, to find Mrs. Kirke.

I found her in front of the TV, watching some trashy soap opera and looking through some papers on the coffee table.

"Mrs. Kirke," I asked, slightly breathless. She turned to look at me.

"Yes Love?" She said with a gentle smile. _Good, she's in a good mood. _

"Can I go to the church carnival with Corin Archenland?" I pleaded with a winning smile. She rolled her eyes.

"If you take Edmund with you, you can go. But you have to convince him first." I sent her a bright smile. _How hard could that be?_

"Thank You." I told her, before darting back down the hallway. I stole the phone from Lucy, while she was in the middle of a sentence, "Corin?"

"Yeah, what did Polly say?" He sounded as eager as I felt, so I was glad to give him good news.

"She said I could go as long as Edmund goes." Corin gave a snort.

"Good luck. He hasn't attended a single church event since he moved in." He said in sardonic tone.

"Lucy and I'll convince him." I told him, "I'll call you later."

"Okay, I can't wait."

"Bye." I said, before hanging up and looking at Lucy, seeing her staring at me expectantly, "I need your help."

Edmund's POV

I had just finished pulling a t-shirt on when the ring tone Corin set for himself blasted from the other side of the room, making me roll my eyes,

"_I'm bringin' sexy back._

_Yeah,_

_Those other brothers don't know how to act._

_Yeah."_

I picked it up before I had to listen to more of that awful song.

"I really hate that song." I told him, not bothering to say hello.

"Hello to you too." He groused from the other line, "Hey are you at home?" I started to walk out of my bedroom and toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, why?" I said, wondering if he wanted to come over, or he just wanted my employee discount at Gumpas.

"Is Marjorie there? Can I talk to her?" He rushed out, sounding like a love-struck teenage girl.

"Geez, you don't call to talk to me anymore." I told him, walking into the kitchen, registering Lucy sitting at the table, eating a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.

"No offence Edmund, but you don't have boobs." I hoped he could feel the eye roll I was sending his way.

"You're such an ass."

"Will you just go get the person I called to talk to?" He told me, sounding frustrated.

"Fine I'll get her." I sighed out, before turning to Lucy, "Hey Lu, do you know where Marjorie is? Corin wants to talk to her." _Because God forbid he call my phone to talk to me!_

"I think she's getting dressed." She said, looking up from her cereal, and making me blush. I don't want to think about her getting dressed, because Corin would hurt me in very manly places, "I can take the phone to her." I resisted the urge to sigh with relief, but instead said,

"Yeah, do that," And threw the phone at her, running out the door and down to the barn.

I was lifting hay bales about twenty minutes later, when both girls came into the barn. Lucy went right over and started petting Phillip.

"Hi buddy, did you miss me?" He whickered and nudged Lucy's hair. I gave a laugh.

"Between the pair of you, I won't have any friends when this week is over." Marjorie gave a nervous laugh from the corner of the barn. It was the type of laugh that I was familier with and my eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"

"Well, you see," She started, and I walked over to the bench to sit down, throwing a horse brush at Lucy, knowing she liked brushing and petting the horses, "Corin asked me to the church carnival, and I really want to go…" She trailed off, and didn't seem like she was going to be picking up again soon.

"So go. Mom will let you; she's on the freaking committee." I told her, still wondering why she was down here. The carnival was tomorrow. Shouldn't she be looking through outfits to find the perfect one? Isn't that what girls do?

"Well the thing is…" She started, but trailed off. I looked at Lucy.

"Wanna clue me in here Lu?"

"Polly won't let us go unless you go." She said with a wry smile. My eyes widened.

"No way. I don't do church, I don't do religion, I don't do carnivals. Forget it." I told them firmly. Lucy made a shooing motion to Marjorie, telling her to leave the barn, before coming to sit beside me.

"Why are you so against going Ed?" I turned to her with a smirk.

"Those places are torture for people with heart problems. Can't eat a single thing there." I joked, and she gave me a look that clearly said, 'Cut the bullshit.'

"What's the real reason Ed?" She asked, not believing my cheap lie.

"I was raised in catholic orphanages. I've had my hands slapped by one nun too many." Her face registered automatic clarity, and I knew she understood.

"What if I go with you? Fend off all the evil nuns who are donning rulers? I'll even sneak you a corn dog!" She joked, knowing that was what I needed.

"First off, its yard sticks. And if I'm going to go, I deserve at least some cotton candy too!" I shot back.

"So you'll go!" She exclaimed, clearly glad that Corin and Marjorie would get their date.

"Do you think Marjorie is standing right outside listening?" I whispered, and Lucy nodded with a smile, "Yes Marjorie, I'll go!" I yelled; so that she could definitely hear me and heard a loud squeal. I stood up and started moving hay again.

"Do you not like Marjorie?" Lucy asked me, from where she was done brushing Phillip, and had moved on to Flisk, the quarter horse that Peter had decided was his when he was here at Christmas. She was close to Jewel, who was snorting and prodding the ground, clearly wanting to be left alone.

"Stay away from the white horse down there," I told her, pointed at Jewel's pen, "We're still working on breaking her." Lucy gave a nod, and went back to brushing Flisk. We worked in silence for a few minutes.

"You never answered my question," She said out of the blue, "Do you like Marjorie?" I gave a sigh, knowing this was a conversation that was needed. I put down the bale of hay I was carrying, and walked over to the bench, sitting down.

"I like her well enough, but she's a little too energetic for me." I told her, "I can't say that squealing girl talk is something I enjoy listening to." As a joke (I hope) Lucy let out a very high pitched giggle.

"I can understand that, but she's scared of you and is pretty sure you hate her."

"It's because I'm so 'mysterious'." I told her, quoting how she had described me last summer, before standing up and going back to work. She seemed confused for a minute, before laughing deeply. We had both just gone back to work when Marjorie came back into the barn.

"Corin wants to talk to you." She squeaked out, holding my cell out. _Geez, she really is scared of me!_ I took it from her.

"So now you want to talk to me?" I told him, once again ignoring hello.

"I just want to know how they convinced you to go. Polly, Lizzie and I have been begging for two years." His voice was incredulous, like he couldn't fathom that I would say yes.

"I like them more than you." I told him, sending a quick smile to Marjorie. She smiled back, "Is that the only reason you wanted to talk, because I'm in the middle of something right now?" _At this rate I won't be done with morning work until six o'clock tonight._

"Well, when do you work at Gumpas next?" He asked, in what I'm sure he thought was a winning voice.

"Next week, why?" I said, "What do you need me to buy for you?"

"I need aftershave. I hate Cor's stuff, it smells like dirty socks and man sweat." I gave a snort, before walking outside into the coral, and away from the girls.

"No offense Corin, but the man sweat is your fault." He laughed with me.

"Well, if you're not doing anything later, can you run into town and get me that stuff I use." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"The yellow stuff?" I said, not knowing, because he uses more toiletries than any female I've met.

"It's called Axe, not 'the yellow stuff'. Where did I go wrong with you?" He sighed, like he had truly failed me.

"Well, 14 years with government soap…" I told him, "I'll try and find what you want. I'll get the girls to help. The city girls are probably getting a little tired of 24 hour barn smell." Corin laughed, making me laugh.

"Thanks man, I'll pay you back." He told me

"Yeah, I know." I told him, walking back into the barn, "I'll see you later."

"Later." He said, hanging up the phone. I hung mine up and tucked it into my pocket, turning to both girls.

"Hey, I need your guys help later." I told them, going back to feeding the horses, "Corin needs man perfume and I don't know what kind he wants."

"What does that have to do with us?" Lucy asked from where she and Marjorie were brushing one of the little ponies.

"I told him I'd have you guys pick it out." I told them, "I don't know what the hell kind he wants. He would go get it himself but He likes the 20% discount at the grocery that I get."

"Will I get to see Corin?" Marjorie asked me, perking up. I furrowed my eyebrows and shot her a wary look.

"Yeah, I'll have to stop over after."

"I'll go." She responded, practically jumping up and down. I shot Lucy a desperate look that hopefully said, 'Don't leave me alone with the bouncing Chihuahua.' Lucy hid a smile, but responded,

"Yeah, I want to see the place where they make their employees dress like traffic cones." I made a face at her, before going back to work.

Lucy's POV

"You do realize that if Edmund has decided that he doesn't want to go to the carnival, he's not going to go." I told Marjorie as we walked down to the barn. I don't think she understood quite how stubborn Edmund could be.

"I know, but I'm pretty sure if you ask him really nicely, maybe throw in a giggle and hair flip, he'll go." I sent her a look.

"No, I doubt it. You're really underestimating him." I told her.

"And you're really underestimating the power of the hair flip." She said seriously, making me giggle.

"Maybe I am." I said as I walked into the barn, seeing Edmund lifting hay over to feed horses. The muscles in his back were rippling through his t-shirt, making me want to run my hands up his back like I used to when we were kissing. To distract myself, I walked over to Edmund's horse, Phillip, and started to nuzzle his nose, "Hi buddy, did you miss me?" He started to push against my hair with, what I took as, the horse version of a laugh. Edmund had stopped what he was doing and gave a laugh.

"Between the pair of you, I won't have any friends when this summer is over." He said, grinning. I smiled and Marjorie gave a nervous laugh from the corner, making Edmund's eyes narrow suspiciously, "What do you want?"

Well, you see, Corin asked me to the church carnival," I let Marjorie do the talking and started to happily brush Phillip with the brush Edmund had tossed me, "And I really want to go…" Marjorie stopped, clearly trying to find the right words for what she was trying to say.

"So go." Edmund said simply from his place on our bench, "Mom will let you; she's on the freaking committee." He was clearly confused as to why we were telling him all about it.

"Well, the thing is…" Marjorie started, but obviously losing her nerve under Edmund's gaze.

"Wanna clue me in here Lu?" He asked, shooting me a glance.

"Polly won't let us go unless you go." I told him with a smile, watching his eyes bulge in shock, anger, and what looked like fear.

"No way. I don't do church, I don't do religion, I don't do carnivals. Forget it." He told us in a voice that said his mind had been made up, and wasn't going to change. I shooed Marjorie out of the barn, before going and sitting beside Edmund.

"Why are you so against going Ed?" I asked gently, and he looked at me with a smirk

"Those places are torture for people with heart problems. Can't eat a single thing there." His tone was joking, but clearly forced, and I sent him a look that said I didn't believe him for a minute.

"What's the real reason Ed?" I asked again.

"I was raised in catholic orphanages. I've had my hands slapped by one nun too many." I remembered the indifference of the lady at the orphanage from last summer, along with Edmund's distrusting attitude. I understood.

"What if I go with you? Fend off all the evil nuns who are donning rulers? I'll even sneak you a corn dog!" I hoped he wouldn't pick up on the fact that this had nothing to do with Corin and Marjorie at this point and everything to do with my wanting to go to the carnival with Edmund. I threw in a nearly invisible hair flip, just for luck.

"First off, it's yard sticks. And if I'm going to go, I deserve at least some cotton candy!" Edmund joked, but it sounded like a yes.

"So you'll go!" I practically yelled, ecstatic that we would be going on another date. _I really did underestimate the power of the hair flip. _Edmund shot me a mischevious smirk.

"Do you think Marjorie is standing right outside listening?" He asked and I smiled while nodding in response. His smirk turned into a grin as he yelled out, "Yes Marjorie, I'll go!" before standing up and going back to work. We could hear Marjorie's squeal through the barn doors.

After I had finished brushing Phillip and moved onto a pretty cream-colored horse, I turned to Edmund to ask him the question that had been bothering me. "Do you not like Marjorie?" Edmund completely ignored my question, instead warning,

"Stay away from that horse down there," He pointed at a beautiful white horse that reminded me of a unicorn, "We're still working on breaking her." I nodded and we lapsed into silence. It was so comfortable, I almost felt bad for breaking it.

"You never answered my question. Do you like Marjorie?" He responded with a sigh and walking over to our bench. I went over and joined him.

"I like her well enough, but she's a little too energetic for me." He said with a sigh, "I can't say that squealing girl talk is something I enjoy listening to." He told me with a lopsided smile, which made my stomach flip. To lighten the mood, I let out a squealing giggle.

"I can understand that, but she's scared of you and is pretty sure you hate her."

"It's because I'm so mysterious." He said, standing up and going back to work. It took me a minute before I remembered what he was talking about.

*Flashback*

_"So I'm "mysterious", am I?" My jaw dropped and I struggled to find the right words. He hopped up onto the counter, still smirking. That was making it even harder to think,_

_"How much did you hear," I whispered, not able to look him in the face. I did hear the laughter, and could practically feel the smirk in the room,_

_"That you don't think I'm gorgeous, 'just mysterious.' Figured it was private conversation, so I didn't listen in." I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God he has more manners than I do. I would've stayed and listened, "I do have one question though." I looked up at him and it looked like he was trying to reign in his laughter,_

_"What is it," I squeaked out. He finally lost the battle and cracked up,_

_"Was that a compliment or an insult?" He strode out of the room, and I nearly died on the spot._

I let out a laugh, remembering how nervous Edmund made me, and at the irony that I was talking to Marjorie. We worked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, before Marjorie came back in and held out Edmund's phone, "Corin wants to talk to you."

"So now you want to talk to me?" Edmund snarked into the phone, before waiting for Corin's reply, "I like them more than you." He said in the phone, sending a gentle smile at Marjorie, making her smile back, "Is that the only reason you called to talk, because I'm in the middle of something right now" We had to wait for Corin on the other side of the line, "Next week, why? What do you need me to buy for you?" His voice was snarky, which is honestly one of my favorite things about him. He gave a short laugh, before walking out of the barn, away from our hearing range. I picked up a spare horse brush and handed it to Marjorie.

"You can help me. I got you your date." She gladly took the brush and we worked together on a tiny, light brown, Shetland pony. We were just getting started when Edmund walked back into the barn.

"Yeah, I know. I'll see you later." A minute later he hung up and returned to feeding the horses, but started to talk to us, "Hey, I need your guys help later, Corin needs man perfume and I don't know what kind he wants." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What does that have to do with us?"

"I told him I'd have you guys pick it out. I don't know what the hell kind he wants." He told us, "He would go get it himself but he likes the 20% discount at the grocery that I get."

"Will I get to see Corin?" Marjorie was practicly bouncing and I understood what Edmund meant by too energetic. He shot her a look that said back off, but responded anyway.

"Yeah, I'll have to stop over after." He said and Marjorie's bouncing got worse.

"I'll go." She said, making Edmund shoot me a begging look. While it was tempting to leave him alone with her, I care too much about him to do that.

"Yeah, I want to see the place where they make their employees dress like traffic cones." He gave me a look that said he wasn't amused, before all three of us went back to work.


	12. A Bully Shot!

Lucy's POV

After getting our showers, Marjorie and I were in our room, trying to find something to wear to go and visit Corin, and I couldn't help but think that going places last year was a lot easier. All I had to do was put on a t-shirt. I pulled on a pair of denim shorts and a yellow t-shirt from a fundraiser I worked last year. It was loose and said _Miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature -C. S. Lewis _on the back and the name of the charity 'Prevent Child Abuse New York'. I joined it shortly after I went back home last summer.

Marjorie took one look at my outfit and shook her head, "I don't know how you got him to go, but if you are wearing outfits like that I know it wasn't your womanly charms." I took a closer look at her outfit and suddenly felt underdressed. She was wearing a pair of white shorts with a lime green belt. Her t-shirt wasn't just a normal shirt like I was wearing, but instead an A&E label coated mini tee. Where I had just slid on my converse, she was wearing a pair of strappy sandals.

"Way to make me feel underdressed." I deadpanned, before going out to the living room, where Edmund and Polly were sitting watching TV. Edmund was in his usual pair of shorts and a t-shirt. However he had changed out of his work boots and into a pair of high top converse. He looked up at me, spotted my shirt, and scoffed, before standing up and walking outside. I stood there in shock for a few moments, wondering what I did. Polly patted the seat next to her and I went and sat beside her.

"He's not mad at you." She said, clearly reading my mind, "He just doesn't like PCA."

"Why not, he could be a poster child?" I said and Polly gave an empty laugh.

"Because they wanted him to be a poster child, and he felt like he was being used." She gestured outside, "Go talk to him."

I found Edmund outside leaning on his truck. He had his mirror glasses on, which made it hard to tell what he was thinking. I went and stood beside him.

"I'm sorry." I told him, reaching out to hold his hand. He yanked it away before I could touch him and my stomach flipped.

"S'alright, you didn't know." He told me in a quiet whisper. It was as if we had just met and not dated, broken up, and were going on a date tomorrow.

"So tell me." I said, reaching for his hand again. He didn't pull away this time, but instead started to squeeze my hand.

"There's not much to say. They showed up one day, saying they wanted to talk to me about helping." His voice cracked, but he didn't stop, "I thought, at the time, that they wanted to help me. Susan had just been adopted and Peter was long gone, staying with his Grandmother Taylor, so I thought that they were going to find me a forever family." He let out a dark laugh- the kind a person lets out when they don't want to cry- so I squeezed his hand to show him that I was here, "They wanted me to help them. I had to give them permission to tell my story at some conference they were giving." A small tear slipped from under his mirror glasses and I pretended I didn't notice, "My social worker said that it was my decision, even though she was supposed to decide for me. When I said no, that was the last I ever heard of them." He gave another dark laugh, "I know they do a lot of good things, and I'm glad they exist, but I just can't forget that." At some point, I had let go of his hand and was now wrapped around his middle. His arms snaked around my back and he laid his head on mine. It seemed to warm me up inside.

"Hey, are we gonna go-ohh…" I heard Marjorie start but trail off. I couldn't help but get angry when Edmund let go of me. I turned around and glared at Marjorie and made her look down in embarrassment. Edmund opened up the door to his truck for Marjorie and me to climb in, before walking around to the driver's door.

"I was waiting for you guys." He told us when he climbed in, turned the ignition and pulled out.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw Gumpas Grocery was 'What a dump!' The paint on the sign was peeling and the sidewalk outside was cracked. I looked a Marjorie and saw that she was thinking the close to the same thing. There was a middle-age looking man standing outside, wearing the same bright orange uniform we saw on Edmund, handing out what looked like coupons. Edmund walked out and greeted the man, making Marjorie and I climb out.

"So you were late today?" Edmund joked with an easy smile. The man smiled, before pulling his cap down farther to shade his eyes.

"Traffic was a bitch. Plus, Elaine was late coming back from work, so I had to sit with Gael." The man told Edmund. Edmund gestured to us.

"Rhince, this is Lucy and Marjorie; Guys, this is Rhince." He introduced, "We are both owned by the same slave-driver." He added, making Rhince crack up, despite squinting against the sunlight. Edmund pulled off his sun glasses and handed them to him.

"You are an amazing person." Rhince told him sincerely, putting the glasses on. Edmund gave him a smile, before walking inside the store, with the two of us following close behind.

A burst of air conditioning hit me as soon as I stepped through the door. I looked around and saw that the inside of the store wasn't much nicer than the outside. The shelves were hodge-podge, at best, and there were empty boxes scattered everywhere.

"I have to go pick up my pay check." Edmund told us, pointing to an aisle at the other end of the store, "The body spray and stuff are all at the end there. If you see something you want, grab it. Corin's buying." He said, making us both laugh, before walking back toward a door that said 'Employees Only'.

"So this is a nice store…" Marjorie said as we walked down toward where Edmund pointed. We passed a few people who were dressed in bright orange, who were stocking shelves, but they seemed as reluctant to be there as we did.

"Yeah, it makes Wal-Mart look like a Paris boutique." I joked, making her laugh as we arrived at the perfumes. Marjorie automatically picked up one of the bottles of spray.

"This is the kind that my brother uses." She said, holding it up, making me laugh.

"Do you really want to be playing tonsil hockey with someone who smells like your brother?" I told her, watching her face change to one of absolute horror, before putting the bottle down. I picked up another bottle, reading the back out loud.

"_Tempt your senses. Axe Excite is an addictive woody fragrance that will have your angel falling on the first encounter. The seductive blend of coconut, hazelnut, and caramel scents evolve into a sexy lingering aroma._ Do guys really fall for this?" I asked with an incredulous look. I was suddenly glad that Edmund didn't seem to wear any of this. The descriptions set back the feminist movement.

"I don't know, but I just lost brain cells listening to that." She giggled. I gave her a look.

"Laugh it up; we're picking this up for your boy toy." I told her, making her sober up. After ten minutes, and ten equally annoying descriptions, Edmund came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, making my skin tingle. I stepped closer into his embrace, feeling him hold me tighter.

"So did you guys find one that doesn't smell completely terrible?" He asked with a crooked grin. I smiled back at him, and just grabbed another one of the bottles we hadn't read yet.

"No, the descriptions on all the bottles are all really annoying. We haven't even smelled any yet." Marjorie shot back, which was good to hear.

"Well hurry up, before they make me shelve something." Edmund snarked, never removing his arm from my shoulders. I picked up one more bottle, this one black and yellow, and read the back out loud.

"_Want to make your morning monumental? The stuff of legends? Axe Rise wakes guys up with exhilarating citrus extract helping to stimulate your senses and jump-start your mind and body._ This one doesn't sound too terrible." I said, spraying a little into the air. Marjorie took a whiff and shot us both a smile of approval.

"I like it, Edmund?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Honestly, I don't give a damn. I got what I needed." He said with a shrug of his shoulder, holding up a white envelope, which I could only guess was his paycheck.  
>"I think this is it." I said happily, handing the bottle to Marjorie.<p>

"Hurray." Edmund deadpanned, letting go of my shoulder and walking away toward the cash register. When we got there, a giggling girl, whose mystic tan made her look like an Oompa Loompa, was twirling her hair at Edmund. On his side, Edmund looked down right uncomfortable.

"So I heard you and Lizzie broke up?" She giggled, "I believe you promised me a pizza date as soon as you were single again." She flipped her hair, and started to hang on Edmund's arm.

"Did I say that?" Edmund gritted out, looking like he was in physical pain, "I don't remember." He was trying to remove his arm from her grip, but she wasn't having any of it. Instead, she was taking a perfectly manicured fingernail and tracing invisible pictures on his face, making him flinch. Her other hand was starting to move away from his arm and down his back, making me see red. _That's mine!_

"Hey Ed, are you ready to go?" I asked, receiving a death glare from the push-up-pop girl. She must've release her grip slightly, allowing Edmund to slide away and come and wrap his arms around me from behind, like he was expecting me to protect him.

"Yeah Lu, we just have to check out." He said, pulling me closer and wrapping his arms around my waist. The girl sent me another glare, before huffing off in the opposite direction.

"What was that?" Marjorie asked, her eyes wide.

"Lasaraleen Tarkheena, best friend of Aravis Taylor." He said, "Aravis found herself a beau, so the best friend swooped in to make sure my life wasn't peaceful." He rolled his eyes, before moving to the checkout counter, grabbing a pair of cheap glasses along the way.

"Geez Ed, if I didn't know any better I'd say you just use me to protect yourself from crazy, stalker girls." I told him with a smile, making him shoot me a mischievous smirk.

"Good thing you know better."

After we checked out, handed the cheap glasses to Rhince so he would give Edmund's back, and all piled into the car, we started down the road toward Corin's house.

Edmund's POV

After I had jumped into the shower and changed, I went and sat on the couch with Polly, who was watching- what she called- her shows. For a while I tried to follow along, but kept getting distracted by the fact that they were all crying. I heard Lucy come into the room and turned to greet her, but then saw her outfit- more specifically, her shirt- and left the house with a noise of annoyance. I grabbed my sun glasses out of my glove compartment, before just leaning against the truck, enjoying the weather. I felt more than heard Lucy come and stand awkwardly next to me. She reached for my hand with a quiet apology, but I yanked it away before she could touch me.

"S'alright, you didn't know." I said, not meaning for it to be as quiet as it came out. She reached for my hand again, so I let her hold it this time, giving it a squeeze.

"So tell me." I gave a sigh.

"There's not much to say…

*Flashback*

_The nuns asked me to go into one of the visiting rooms, and all I could think was 'Peter came to visit me! I wonder if he brought me any chocolate like last time.' When I walked into the room, it wasn't what I expected at all. There were several people, all dressed like grown-ups, sitting at the table. I spotted my social worker, Linda, and walked over to stand in front of her, "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" I asked, looking at all the people in suits. There was a laugh that went through the room, and I thought maybe they found me a family, like they had found for Susan._

"_No Edmund, you didn't do anything wrong." One of the ladies said, her hair looking very stiff and her face very fake. It looked like when Susan put finger paint on her eyes and lips, "We want to help," __**They're going to get me a family!**__ "But first we need your help." I was prepared to do anything to make sure that these people liked me, so I just nodded, to make sure I didn't say the wrong thing._

_A man with a very shiny head started talking, "We need you to tell us it's okay for us to talk about what happened between you and," He looked at an open folder in front of him, "Andrew Taylor." I flinched at the name, stepping back into Linda's arms. I don't want to talk about it. I just shook my head firmly, hoping they would take that as answer enough._

"_Edmund," A lady with a pretty blue coat, but whose shirt was open a lot, said, "We work for a place where we try very hard to make sure what happened to you will never happen again. We want to make sure that it doesn't happen to any other boys or girls." I gave her a look, feeling the familiar anger, which always seemed to get me in trouble with the nuns, start in my stomach._

"_But it already happened to me. You didn't help me." I said quietly, trying to stay calm. __**Maybe there's another way, maybe they'll still find me a family.**_

"_Edmund, we want to help…" The shiny man started, but I cut him off,_

"_NO!" I screamed, watching them all jump back, "I don't want to help! I want to be with my brother and sister, I want to have parents again, I want to get out of this stupid place, but I don't want to help! No one helped me! Why should I!" I was breathing deeply, which made Linda try to grab me from behind. I pushed her off and kicked the shiny man, before running out of the room and back to my bed, crying myself to sleep._

"…I know they do a lot of good things, and I'm glad they exist, but I just can't forget that." Lucy had wound her arms around my waist, so I pulled her in close, laying my head on her hair. It just felt right. We stood like that until Marjorie came out.

"Hey, are we gonna go- ohh…" I let go of Lucy, more than a little embarrassed. I opened the door of the truck for the girls, waited for them to get in, and shut it, before walking around to my side.

"I was waiting for you guys." I said as we pulled out in the direction of the grocery.

When we pulled up, I spotted Rhince handing out coupon sheets and squinting into the sunlight. I walked over and clapped him on the shoulder, making him grin.

"Edmund, what are you doing here? You don't work until next week."

"Hey man, I needed to grab some stuff. So you were late today?" I asked him as the girls walked up. He tried to pull the safety orange baseball hat down over his eyes.

"Traffic was a bitch. Plus, Elaine was late coming back from work, so I had to sit with Gael." I nodded, and gestured to the girls and introduced everyone.

"Rhince, this is Lucy and Marjorie; Guys, this is Rhince. We are both owned by the same slave-driver." I said, making Rhince laugh. He was still squinting, so I handed him my sunglasses, making a mental note to grab him a pair when we were inside. After he took them gratefully, I walked in and turned to the girls, "I have to go pick up my pay check. The body spray and stuff are all at the end there." I said pointing toward the other end of the store, "If you see something you want, grab it. Corin's buying." I waited until they laughed before heading back to the break room.  
>When I walked in, I noticed that Mr. Gumpas was actually in the room, sitting in his large backed chair, looking at something that probably had nothing to do with running this business. He looked up when I entered.<p>

"Edmund Kirke, what are you doing here? I'm not giving you overtime." _Don't worry, I wasn't asking._

"That's okay sir, I just came to pick up my pay check." I said, holding up the white envelope that I had grabbed, "I know I don't work again until next week."

"I'm glad; especially after all that overtime I gave you last week." He said haughtily, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, "Although, I'm sure if you would've worked faster, we could've been done with the boxes sooner." I turned my back to him so that I could roll my eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Gumpas. So I'll see you next week then?" I asked, hoping that this would be the end of it.

"Yes, next Wednesday." He said as I walked out of the break room. I walked over to where I had sent the girls, hoping they were still there. I saw Lucy holding one of the black spray bottles, so I slung my arm around her shoulder, and felt her lean closer.

"So, did you guys find one that doesn't smell completely terrible?" I asked, only half-joking. Lucy smiled, but grabbed another bottle.

"No, the descriptions on tall the bottles are all really annoying." Marjorie sighed out, "We haven't even smelled any yet." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, hurry up before they make me shelve something." I told them, honestly afraid that they would put me to work if I stood here too long. Lucy picked up a random bottle, before reading the description on the back.

"This one doesn't sound too terrible." She said as she sprayed some, both girls taking a giant breath. Marjorie smiled.

"I like it, Edmund?" She asked me, as if I really care what Corin smells like.

"Honestly, I don't give a damn." I said, shrugging my shoulder, "I got what I needed." Lucy gave a smile.

"I think this is it." She said while handing the bottle to Marjorie.

I tried to muster up some enthusiasm, but could only manage a bored, "Hurray," before walking to the cash register, completely ready to get out of here. I didn't expect to get sneak attacked by Lasaraleen. She grabbed my arm, squeezed tightly, and started giggling, making me squirm.

"So, I heard you and Lizzie broke up? I believe you promised me a pizza date as soon as you were single again." Sadly, I remember saying this, but as she has the attention span of a six-year-old on Lucky Charms, I didn't expect her to remember.

"Did I say that?" The grip on my arm had turned almost threatening, "I don't remember." When I tried to get out of her grip, she just took her fingernail and started to write on my face. It tickled a little, but in a way that made me feel violated. The hand that had been wrapped around my arm was now running up and down my back, getting lower every time.

"Hey Ed, are you ready to go?" Lucy called, her eyes flashing with something like anger, making Lasaraleen release me enough so I could go hide behind her, sliding my arms around Lucy's waist, using her as a human shield.

"Yeah Lu, we just have to check out." I pulled her closer, which made Lasaraleen huff and storm off. Marjorie stared after her in shock.

"What was that?" I would've laughed if I didn't still feel a little uncomfortable.

"Lasaraleen Tarkheena, best friend of Aravis Taylor." I sighed, wishing that Aravis was obsessing over me again, "Aravis found herself a beau, so the best friend swooped in to make sure my life wasn't peaceful." I grabbed a pair of cheap glasses to hand to Rhince on the way out.

"Geez Ed, if I didn't know any better I'd say you just use me to protect yourself from crazy stalker girls." Lucy joked, making me send her a grin.

"Good thing you know better." After checking out, we all piled into the car and headed off to the Archenland Manor.

Lucy's POV

We pulled up to a giant house. It was two stories tall, complete with giant, ancient-Rome looking columns. There was a tall gate all around the property, and Edmund leaned out of his window to press a button on the intercom.

"Hello." A chipper voice crackled through the intercom, "Can I help you?"

"Hey Margaret, its Edmund; Is Corin home?" Edmund responded into the black box.

"Sure, come on in." There was a loud beep and the gates open, allowing us to drive through. Edmund pulled up to the house, parking his rickety truck beside a luxury sports car, making it look very out of place. He grabbed the bottle of Axe, threw his sun glasses into the glove compartment, and climbed out of the car with Marjorie and I behind him. When he reached the giant double doors, he didn't knock, instead just pushed one open and walked in. A pretty young girl, who looked to be in her twenties, came and greeted him.

"Edmund, Corin's up in his room, but the girls aren't allowed up there." She told him, waving a duster at him.

"I'll go get him, thanks." He told her with a smile, before turning to us, pointing toward a room with a couch and TV, "If you guys want to go chill in the living room, we'll be right back"

"Okay." I told him, smiling. Marjorie and I both walked into the room and sat on the very white couch, which made me understand why we all had to change. Everything in this room- from the walls to the carpet and furniture- was white. It was a little scary to sit in. Marjorie turned to me nervously.

"Does my hair look okay?" She asked, gesturing to her hair, which fell in natural red curls around her shoulders.

"It always looks okay. You don't have to do anything with it, it's just naturally perfect." I told her with a sigh, picking up a strand of my own limp light brown hair. We turned as a blonde boy walked into the room.

"Corin!" Marjorie said, perking up and twirling her hair. The boy looked confused, before his face registered clarity.

"No, I'm Cor. We're twins. You guys must be Lucy and Marjorie." He said, before holding his hand out, "S'nice to meet you." We both shook his hand, and introduced ourselves, "Well, I'd stay, but I'm going and meeting my girlfriend. Maybe I'll see you guys tomorrow?" We both grinned and nodded. It was five minutes after he left that Edmund and Corin came in. I could smell the Axe on Corin from across the room and made a face. Edmund shot me a smirk that showed he was trying not to laugh.

"So, you're Corin, right?" I asked, making sure we weren't looking at triplets. He started to laugh, looking around the room.

"So, Cor's home?" He asked, grinning, "I thought he'd left." Corin walked over and pressed his lips to Marjorie's gently, making me slightly jealous. _Why won't Edmund do that with me?_

Even when we were dating, Edmund wasn't exactly the most publicly affectionate person. He would hug me, and sometimes kiss me on the cheek, but usually nothing more in front of people. It drives me nuts! He came and sat beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"So ladies, I want to know how you did it. Polly, Lizzie, Cor, and basically everyone in town has been trying to get Edmund to go to a church event for two years. We had all but given up." Corin joked, making Edmund send him a glare.

"I was blackmailed." Edmund said leaning back on the couch, "I wonder if you actually enjoy hanging out with me, or just for the fact that I'm a wonderful pawn in your ploy for world domination." Corin laughed, leaning over to thwapp Edmund on the chest.

"Don't sell yourself short. That's not the only reason I keep you around." He joked, making Edmund pick up one of the candy mints on the coffee table and throw it at Corin, hitting him square in the forehead. Margaret came in and shooed us out of the room, and down to the basement.

The four of us had gone downstairs to watch a movie, choosing some old western that the guys liked, but Marjorie and I had never seen before. However, I don't think that Marjorie is getting much of the movie right now. She and Corin were about five seconds from ripping each other's clothes off. _Maybe that body spray does work. _

Edmund and I were sitting beside them, with me draped over his lap. I had my head tucked in the crook of his neck, with my ear right over his pulse point. While the position wasn't exactly innocent, compared to some of the other positions we've been in, this was just down right prude; And it was driving me nuts!

I had been trying to send him hints for the last ten minutes. Finally, as a bandit started to run away from the sheriff, while a girl in a big skirt swooned, I grabbed Edmund's neck and pulled his head down to mine, pressing my lips to his. He seemed shocked, but responded by pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. His hands started to run up and down my back and his tongue twirled with mine. It was absolutely perfect.

After about five minutes, Edmund stiffened and stood up, nearly dumping me off of his lap.

"I have to go to the bathroom." He muttered, before practically fleeing the room. Corin and Marjorie had stopped what they were doing, when they heard Edmund stand up and leave. Corin untangled himself and stood up to follow him. I let out a big sigh, before dropping my head into my hands.

"So what happened?" Marjorie asked from beside me, "You two seemed to be getting along just fine, then he just stands up and leaves?" She shot me an expectant look.

"I don't know." I told her, looking up, "Maybe I was wrong, and he just wants to be friends? I mean, he was kissing back, but then he just… stopped." I sighed again, dropping my head down again, trying to keep the feel of Edmund's lips on mine fresh in my mind.

"Well, he kissed back, so he obviously liked it. And he is so totally in love with you." She told me logically, "Maybe he just needs a little time."

"Time for what?" I asked, looking up again.

"Maybe he still remembers the play? Lu, you did break his heart; did you expect him to just forget about it?"

Edmund's POV

I pulled up to the gate, pressing the button for the intercom.

"Hello, Can I help you?" I heard Margaret ask in a crackled electronic voice.

"It's Edmund Margaret, Is Corin home?" I asked, even though I knew he was.

"Sure, come on in." The gates creaked open, so I drove in and parked beside Cor's Mustang. My poor little Ford truck looked so dejected. I grabbed the man spray and walked up to the house, just walking in, as they always expect me to. Margaret was standing there waiting for me, brandishing her feather duster, "Edmund, Corin's up in his room, but the girls aren't allowed up there." I sent her a smile.

"I'll go get him, thanks." After pointing the girls into the living room, I climbed the massive stair case and walked to the end of the hallway, barging into Corin's room, finding him shirtless, watching a movie.

"Don't you ever knock?" He asked, reaching for a shirt. Instead of answering, I just threw the perfume at him.

"There's your man spray, Princess." I said, planting myself on his bed while he tried to use the whole bottle at once.

"Nice choice, I didn't think you had it in you." He said, inhaling deeply. I shook my head.

"I didn't. The girls picked it out." I told him with a sweeping gesture toward the door, "They're waiting downstairs, figured we could watch a movie or something." At the mention that there were females downstairs, Corin ran to his mirror and started primping. After a few minutes, he gave me a look.

"How do I look?" He asked, anxiously. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Really, man?" I told him, "Cor's right, you are gay." **[A/N I have nothing against being gay-straight-lesbian-bisexual-transgender. I've just heard boys talk.] **Corin shoved me, before walking out the door.

When we were in the living room again, Lucy and Marjorie were looking at us strangely.

"So, you're Corin, right?" Lucy asked, making Corin laugh and me smile.

"So, Cor's home? I thought he'd left." He said as he walked over and gave Marjorie a peck on the lips. I went and sat beside Lucy and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her closer, "So ladies, I want to know how you did it. Polly, Lizzie, Cor, and basically everyone in town has been trying to get Edmund to go to a church event for two years. We had all but given up." Corin mocked. I sent him a dark look.

"I was blackmailed." I got more comfortable on the couch, "I wonder if you actually enjoy hanging out with me, or just for fact that I'm a wonderful pawn in your ploy for world domination" I said, making Corin laugh and hit my chest lightly.

"Don't sell yourself short." He said, leaning back, "That's not the only reason I keep you around." I gave a laugh, and picked up one of the dinner mints from the candy dish, throwing it at Corin's forehead. That was the only shot I got in, before Margaret came and sent us to the basement.

Lucy and I were watching the original True Grit, while Corin and Marjorie were molesting each other on the other side of the basement. Lucy was sitting on my lap, with her head tucked into my neck. Just as Mattie Ross yelled out, _'Hooray for the man from Texas! Some bully shot!'_, Lucy grabbed the back of myneck and pulled my face to hers. I responded almost immediately, pulling her closer and sliding my tongue into her mouth. Her fingers were tickling the back of my neck as our lips moved against each other's. It felt amazing, almost life altering. But then I thought about that moment:

_Her arms were flung around his neck and they were kissing. His hands were around her waist, traveling up her back. A surge of possessiveness shot through me, but she wasn't fighting him, so she wasn't mine anymore._

I all but threw Lucy off of my lap, and gave a lame excuse before sprinting upstairs. I was sitting at the kitchen table, when Corin came and sat beside me.

"So what happened?" He asked, waiting for me to talk. I gave a sigh, trying to get my thoughts together.

"Is it possible to be in love, but that not be enough?" I asked, hoping the answer was no. I wanted someone to tell me I could be with Lucy again.

"Ed, you can either trust her, or you can't." He said, laying a hand on my back.

"I wanna trust her." I told him, "But I don't know where to start."

"I don't have all the answers." He said, making me laugh, "Let's go watch Mattie Ross kick ass." I laughed again, and followed him into the basement.


	13. Getting Ready for the Carnival

**A/N: The POV's in this chapter are going to be all over the place. Bear with me. It'll be funny.**

Edmund POV

I went back to my room after morning chores to see Polly had laid out for me to wear to the carnival. She apparently didn't trust me to dress myself at sixteen. On my desk chair was 'The Shirt'. It was a light blue and white striped button-up and a pair of khaki shorts. Susan had bought it for my birthday last year and Polly was always trying to get me to wear it. Instead of putting it on, I grabbed the t-shirt that Peter got me for Christmas. It was green and said 'Little Brothers get Luigi.' with the Luigi hat on it. We had joked about it for hours. I slid into the khaki shorts she had laid out for me though.

When I walked into the kitchen, Polly took one look at me and got the 'You didn't do what I said' look on her face. It's a face I see often, however this time I was honestly scared of it.

"That's not what I said to wear Edmund." She said her voice deadly. I should've known better than to mess with anything church related.

"Yeah, but this is so much more comfortable." I said, sending her what I hoped was a winning smile. She wasn't having any of it.

"It's not appropriate Edmund. You've seen Digory and me when we go every year. Have we ever worn shorts and t-shirts?" Her voice was threatening, and the smart part of me was saying to shut up and just do what she was saying. However, the rest of me decided to argue.

"Isn't it enough that I'm going?" I told her, and watched her glare deepen.

"Edmund, go change. You're not wearing a t-shirt to church." Lucy chose this moment to walk in, wearing a tye-dye t-shirt, which had a giant peace sign on it, and a pair of white shorts.

"Lucy's wearing t-shirt." I said, pointing at her. Juvenile, I know. But I'm on a roll for never wearing 'The Shirt' and I don't want to break it, "Does she have to change?"

"Edmund Matthew Kirke, go change your shirt right now!" She told me in a voice that had me scurrying out of the kitchen and toward my room as quick as possible.

I pulled my shirt off as I walked into my room, pulling my door shut on the way. I threw the t-shirt on my bed and grabbed an under shirt from my dresser, pulling it over my head. I grabbed 'The Shirt' and glared at it, as if it had offended me in some way. I buttoned it up, except for the top two buttons, and changed from my work boots into my converse, not wanting to have to come back and change again.

I grabbed a hair brush, ran it through my hair quickly, before returning to the kitchen.

"Will you feed me now?" I asked mom, sending her a pouting look. She set a plate of eggs and toast in front of me, sending me a glare.

"Get anything down the front of it and I'll pull out the shirt Grandma Plummer gave you." She threatened, and I sent her a horrified look. I'm not exactly a slave to style, but even I know that a short-sleeved, plaid shirt isn't exactly the height of fashion. I ate the rest of my breakfast very carefully, making sure that nothing landed on my shirt. I wasn't taking any risks. After I was done, I walked out to the porch to sit with the girls and wait for Corin. I sat down in the chair beside Marjorie, noticing that her face was bright red. For a second I was afraid she was sick.

"Marjorie, are you feeling okay? Your face is really red." She nodded, but didn't say anything. I looked at Lucy, who was trying not to laugh, "I feel like I missed something here. Do I want to know?" Lucy burst into giggles, and Marjorie turned even redder.

"Trust me Ed; you're better off in the dark." Lucy said, and before I could ask to come to the light, Lucy changed the subject to 'The Shirt', "I like your shirt. Is that what Polly wanted you to change into?" I, like any self-respecting sixteen-year-old would, crossed my arms and pouted because I didn't get my way.

"Yes. Susan got it for me for my birthday and I haven't worn it yet. Mom is always trying to find a reason to shove me in it." Lucy laughed, before stating,

"I don't think I've ever seen you give up on a fight that quickly." She said, causing a tiny bit of fear to cross my face at the thought of 'The Voice'.

"Yeah, well, she brought out my full name and the 'You better do exactly as I said NOW' voice. That basically means the argument is over, and she won." Corin's truck pulled up, signaling it was time to go. He climbed out of the truck, smiling. When Corin sends me that smile, it makes me glare.

"Edmund, you look like you just morphed out of an Abercrombie magazine. I didn't think you had it in you." See, I knew I was going to have to glare at him.

"Screw you. Mom brought 'The Voice' out." I saw Corin visibly shutter, and realized I got my point across. 'The Voice' sends grown men running for cover.

"I should've known that's the only way she could get you into that outfit." He said, and I sighed. "Did she pick the outfit out for you." It wasn't a question.

"I'm sixteen years old. Don't you think I can pick out my own clothes?" Instead of answering, Corin was now staring at Marjorie, seemingly speechless.

"Wow… Marjorie, you look… Wow." He complemented, and I fought the urge to laugh. Polly saved me, by calling us inside to give us the 'Rules of the Day.' I frowned on the way in.

"Exactly what is she going to lecture us about? We're going to the bloody church carnival. I know I've never been, but I don't think drugs and alcohol are being passed around like candy." (I was raised by nuns, and that wasn't what they handed out at dinner. The communion wine was freaking grape juice.) We stood in front in front of Polly, being stared down like she had telekinesis.

"You both look very nice." She finally said, making me laugh and nod toward Corin.

"He always looks nice. I was forced into this." I felt bad when Polly sent me a warning look. But I'm going to my first religion-based event in two years. I'm a little nervous, therefore, grouchy. Corin, who can always be counted on to cheer up Polly, chose that moment to pipe in.

"So, Polly, what's on the lecture menu today?" She forgot about her anger at me, instead laughing.

"I wouldn't have to lecture you two if you would stay out of trouble." She said, making us both laugh, until she turned serious, fixing her gaze on Corin, "You both are taking girls out, but that doesn't give you a free pass to put your hands where you want." She turned to me next, "And just because there's carnival food everywhere, doesn't mean you get to eat it." _Damn! How does she always know?_ "If either of you need me, I'll be working the ticket booth." Translation: You start feeling like crap, get your butt over to the ticket booth. She fixed her gaze solely on me, "Some of my friends want to meet you later, so before the fireworks, you and Lucy need to find me." Translation: The church ladies want to pinch your cheeks and tell you how handsome you are, and talk about how much I've told them about you. 

"Okay, can we go now?" I asked, eager to leave. Corin nodded in agreement, making Polly sigh, before pushing us put of the house.

Marjorie's POV

Lucy and I were throwing stuff out of our suitcases, trying to find something to wear. Lucy had already decided what she was wearing. She had borrowed my white shorts and put on the green belt her mom got her in India. She had grabbed her pink, red, and orange tye-dye shirt. We had bought it from American Eagle and it had a giant silver peace sign on it. She just pinned her bangs back, letting her hair fall straight on her shoulders.

I, on the other hand, had no clue what I was going to wear. We had been throwing clothes out of both bags for the last hour, not counting last night. Finally, Lucy pulled something out of the bottom of her bag that had potential.

It was a knee-length sun dress. It was red, but was covered with white polka dots, giving it the appearance of something Minnie Mouse would wear. The straps were thin, but it was conservative enough to wear to a church event, but hot enough to wear on a date. All I had to do was side braid my hair and the look would be complete.

"Lucy, I love you." I told her, in way of a thank you, before taking the dress from her. She smiled at me, before leaving the room to go to breakfast.

Even from all the way across the house I could hear Edmund and Mrs. Kirke's morning fight. After tying my braid off, I left Lucy and my room to go see what they were arguing about this morning. I was greeted by a sight that was even better.

Edmund was walking into his room, pulling his t-shirt off as he did. He must not have seen me, because for a few seconds, before he pulled the door to his room shut, I got an amazing look at Edmund's abs. My jaw dropped, because now I know what Lucy meant when she said he looks better with his shirt off. _Why on earth is he hiding those? _

I walked to the kitchen in a state of shock, unable to process what I had just seen. I ate the bacon and eggs Mrs. Kirke put in front of me, before dragging Lucy out to talk on the front porch, figuring Mrs. Kirke didn't want to hear me fawn over her son's muscles.

"Marjorie, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Lucy asked me, making me turn bright red. I threw myself down to sit on the porch, waiting for Lucy to join me.

"Worse. I just saw Edmund without his shirt." Lucy's mouth dropped and her eyes flashed in something like jealousy.

"What, when?" She asked, "He's usually a prude about showing them off." I gave a snort of disbelief.

"Why? He shouldn't be hiding those suckers away." I told her, turning, if possible, even redder.

"When did you see them?" Lucy asked again, badly concealed jealously in her voice.

"He was stripping out of his shirt when he walked into his room. I tried to look away Lucy, I really did." I sent her a pleading look, "I just couldn't. Thank god he didn't see me."

"Trust me, I understand. They're like a freaking train wreck; you shouldn't watch, but can't look away." I gave a nod of understanding, "You look nice." Lucy told me, "Corin's not going to be able to contain himself."

"Right back at you;" I told her, "That shirt looks really nice." She laughed.

"You're only saying that because you picked it out." We traded fashion jabs for a few more minutes, before Edmund came out and sat in the empty chair beside me. I turned bright red, making him look at me funny.

"Marjorie, are you feeling okay?" He asked, "Your face is really red." I just nodded, afraid that I would open my mouth and say, '_Can you take off your shirt? I didn't get a good enough look last time._' Lucy was trying not to laugh, making Edmund give us both strange looks, "I feel like I missed something here. Do I want to know?" Lucy lost the battle and started to laugh hysterically.

"Trust me Ed; you're better off in the dark." Lucy told him, making him furrow his eyebrows. So that he wouldn't ask any more questions, Lucy changed the subject, "I like your shirt. Is that what Polly wanted you to change into?" Edmund let out a sigh and seemed put out.

"Yes. Susan got it for me for my birthday and I haven't worn it yet. Mom is always trying to find a reason to shove me in it." He crossed his arms over his chest, making him seem like a petulant six-year-old.

"I don't think I've ever seen you give up on a fight that quickly." Lucy told him.

"Yeah, well, she brought out my full name and the 'You better do exactly as I said NOW' voice. That basically means the argument is over, and she won." Lucy was about to respond, but Corin chose that moment to pull in.  
>When Corin was walking up to the porch, I started to fiddle with my braid. He hadn't looked at me yet, instead began laughing at Edmund, earning a glare.<p>

"Edmund, you look like you just morphed out of an Abercrombie magazine. I didn't think you had it in you." Edmund's glare got worse, but Corin just laughed harder.

"Screw you. Mom brought 'The Voice' out." I don't know what 'The Voice' is, but it obviously scares the two of them, enough to get Edmund into a name-brand shirt.

"I should've known that's the only way she could get you into that outfit. Did she pick the outfit out for you." Corin stated more than asked, making Edmund sigh.

"I'm sixteen years old. Don't you think I can pick out my own clothes?" Edmund looked at his hands, and Corin turned to me.

"Wow… Marjorie, you look… Wow." He stumbled, making me blush and play with my braid again. Polly called both boys inside, leaving Lucy and I out on the porch.

"So… Wow is a good reaction, right?" Lucy teased, and I just kept playing with my braid.

"Shut up. What did Edmund say about your outfit?" I asked, making Lucy laugh.

"He asked Polly why I got to wear a t-shirt and he didn't." She barely got the sentence out, before breaking into giggles. I sent her a confused look.

"That doesn't sound like a good thing. Shouldn't he be telling you, you look amazing and beautiful and he's madly, truly, and deeply in love with you?" I put my hand over my heart, like I was a southern belle. She giggled into her hands.

"For Edmund, it amounts to pretty much the same thing." She got out, before Corin and Edmund came back out and we all loaded up to go.

Lucy's POV

After escaping the wrath of the fashion attack, I made my way to the kitchen wondering what Polly and Edmund were fighting about this morning. When I got there, Edmund pointed at me almost immediately. He was wearing a green t-shirt, and that seemed to be what they were fighting about.

"Lucy's wearing a t-shirt. Does she have to change?" He seemed to be begging, and Polly gave him a murderous look.

"Edmund Matthew Kirke, go change your shirt right now!" Her voice sent Edmund running out of the kitchen, and made me want to go find somewhere to hide from her wrath. Polly turned to me, "You look very nice Lucy. I'm glad one of you decided to dress up." She told me, her voice gentle again. She put a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me, and I started to eat. It wasn't even a full minute later when Marjorie walked in, seemingly in shock. All through breakfast, she didn't say anything, aside from thanking Polly for the food, and only picked at her eggs. Her face was white as a hospital sheet. After we had both eaten and helped clean up, she grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the porch. Marjorie still hadn't said anything, which was starting to worry me.

"Marjorie, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." She turned bright red and threw herself into one of the rocking chairs. I sat beside her and waited for her to answer me.

"Worse. I just saw Edmund without his shirt." I tried to keep the jealousy off of my face as my jaw fell open.

"What, When?" _Don't act like the jealous ex-girlfriend. He can show his abs to anyone he wants. _"He's usually a prude about showing them off." I told her, making her laugh shortly.

"Why? He shouldn't be hiding those suckers away." Her face turned a bright cherry red, and I had to ask my question again.

"When did you see them?" _God, I sound so possessive._

"He was stripping out of his shirt when he walked into his room." She looked at me, begging me to forgive her, "I tried to look away Lucy, I really did, and I just couldn't. Thank god he didn't see me." I couldn't be mad at her. I remember my first encounter with Edmund shirtless.

_Flashback_

_"Where is that boy?" It wasn't five seconds later that I learned who the yellow shirt belonged to, because that was when Edmund walked into the barn, shirtless and sweat-soaked. My jaw almost dropped to the floor, because, despite his lanky appearance, Edmund was ripped. When Edmund realized I had been staring, he lunged for his shirt and wrestled to get it on, while I attempted to pick my jaw off of the floor._

"Trust me, I understand. They're like a freaking train wreck; you shouldn't watch, but you can't look away." She nodded, and I looked her up and down, smiling, "You look nice. Corin's not going to be able to contain himself." I was only half-joking. They can't contain themselves on any day. We started joking and laughing for a few more minutes until Edmund came out and sat in the chair beside Marjorie, making her turn even redder than she was before. Edmund sent her a look, and I tried my hardest not to laugh.

"Marjorie, are you feeling okay? Your face is really red." Marjorie just nodded, while I very close to losing the laughing battle. Edmund sent us the 'You're both insane' look, "I feel like I missed something here. Do I want to know?" At that question, I couldn't help it anymore, and had to burst up laughing.

"Trust me Ed; you're better off in the dark." I told him, and changed the subject before he could continue asking questions, "I like your shirt. Is that what Polly wanted you to change into?" I really did like the shirt, even though it was so anti-Edmund. It was a light cotton button up, with light and dark blue and white stripes. It seemed to be from a name-brand of some sort. His khaki shorts and converse looked nice, overall making him look like some kind of Abercrombie model. _Edmund cleans up nice. _He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"Yes. Susan got it for me for my birthday and I haven't worn it yet. Mom is always trying to find a reason to shove me in it." I let out a little laugh.

"I don't think I've ever seen you give up on a fight that quickly." A tiny look of fear crossed his face.

"Yeah, well, she brought out my full name and the 'You better do exactly as I said NOW' voice. That basically means the argument is over, and she won." I was about to respond, but Corin truck came driving up, making Marjorie smile like an idiot.

Corin walked up to porch and took a look at Edmund, before laughing, "Edmund, you look like you just morphed out of an Abercrombie magazine. I didn't think you had it in you," which made Edmund glare at him, but Corin seemed unphased.

"Screw you. Mom brought 'The Voice out." Corin shuttered at the mention of Polly's angry voice.

"I should've known that's the only way she could get you into that outfit. Did she pick the outfit out for you?" Corin asked, making Edmund sigh.

"I'm sixteen years old. Don't you think I can pick out my own clothes?" Corin decided to turn and look at Marjorie, making his jaw drop.

"Wow… Marjorie, you look… Wow." He couldn't string two words together, which made Marjorie blush the same red as her dress. Polly yelled for the boys from inside the house and I turned to Marjorie.

"So… Wow is a good reaction, right?" I asked her, making her look down and fiddle with the end of her braid.

"Shut up." She told me, "What did Edmund say about your outfit?" I laughed a little.

"He asked Polly why I got to wear a t-shirt and he didn't." I broke into giggles, remembering Edmund's face as he fled the kitchen. Marjorie looked confused.

"That doesn't sound like a good thing." She said, "Shouldn't he be telling you, you look amazing and beautiful and he's madly, truly, and deeply in love with you?" She joked, fake swooning. I laughed, hiding my face in my hands.

"For Edmund, it amounts to pretty much the same thing." The boys came out then, and we all loaded into Corin's truck and headed to the carnival.

Corin's POV

I pulled up to the Kirke household, seeing the two girls sitting on the porch, seeming to tease Edmund about something, who was pouting like a three-year-old. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Polly had managed to get him into the only Abercrombie shirt that he owns. He got it for his birthday in November, and this is the first time he's ever put it on. By the look of things, he didn't choose it. The decision was made for him. I climbed out of the truck, deciding it was time to tease him.

"Edmund, you look like you just morphed out of an Abercrombie magazine. I didn't think you had it in you." He sent me a death glare, which would scare the average person, but has never frightened me. He's essentially harmless.

"Screw you. Mom brought 'The Voice' out." He told me, making me shutter. 'The Voice' made Peter run in fear, and he's been on active duty. It made me flee the house once.

"I should've known that's the only way she could get you into that outfit." I told him, "Did she pick the outfit out for you." Edmund sighed.

"I'm sixteen years old. Don't you think I can pick out my own clothes?" I didn't answer, just turned to Marjorie. When I saw her, my mouth dropped a little.

"Wow… Marjorie, you look… Wow." I tried to finish the thought, but couldn't get it together. Luckily, Polly called us into the house for our lecture. We get a Lecture every time we go out. It would get annoying, but we always seem to get into trouble, so it's completely understandable. We were walking into the house, and Edmund seemed to still be pouting.

"Exactly what is she going to lecture us about?" He asked me, "We're going to the bloody Church carnival. I know I've never been, but I don't think drugs and alcohol are being passed around like candy." When we were standing in front of Polly, she looked us up and down.

"You both look very nice." She said, making Edmund snort.

"He always looks nice." He told her, cocking his head toward me, "I was forced into this." Polly sent Edmund a warning glance, letting him know he was walking on thin ice.

"So, Polly, what's on the lecture menu today?" I asked, making her laugh.

"I wouldn't have to lecture you two if you would stay out of trouble." We both laughed with her, before she began her rules, "You both are taking girls out, but that doesn't give you a free pass to put your hands where you want." She seemed to be looking more at me than at Edmund for this one, "And just because there's carnival food everywhere, doesn't mean you get to eat it." This one was all Edmund, "If either of you need me, I'll be working the ticket booth." She set her gaze on Edmund, "Some of my friends want to meet you later, so before the fireworks, you and Lucy need to find me." Edmund nodded, clearly not happy with the prospect of being shown off.

"Okay, can we go now?" Edmund asked, and I nodded in agreement. Polly sighed, but shoved us out the door anyway.


	14. The Carnival: Lucy and Edmund

*****The Carnival*** **

**!PART ONE!**

_Edmund & Lucy_

_*Warning: Edmund has a dirty mouth_

Lucy's POV

We had been walking around the carnival for about an hour. Edmund had his arm wrapped around my waist, making my whole body tingle at the contact. It was around lunch time and I could hear his stomach growling.

"I take it you're hungry?" I joked, making him laugh. It wasn't his usual sarcastic laugh either. It was his 'I'm actually happy and am totally okay with everyone knowing' laugh.

"Find me one thing here that isn't deep fried and I'll be your best friend for life." He told me, squeezing my waist. I laughed, but inside I was thinking 'Can we be more than best friends?'

"I don't know if I can do that, but I did promise I would buy you a corn dog." I told him, making him laugh again.

"To be completely honest, I've never had a corn dog in my life." He told me with a wry smirk. I sent him a shocked look.

"You've never had a corn dog?" My jaw was practically on the ground in surprise, "Like, never ever?" He gave me another smirk.

"Yup, they don't feed deep-fried mystery meat to people with heart conditions." He stated, not sounding bitter or upset.

"Do you think we can make an exception?" I asked, sending my own smirk. He laughed and smiled, giving me my answer. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the closest corn dog stand, ordering two. He pulled his wallet out, but I put my hand on his, "This one is on me. This is a momentous occasion. I want it to be clear of my part in it." I told him, making him raise his eyebrows.

"You'll change your mind if mom finds out." He told me as I paid for the corn dogs, "You'll want your part to be nearly invisible and nonexistent." I laughed and handed him his.

"I'll take my chances. Do you like ketchup on your hot dogs?" I asked, grabbing a ketchup packet for myself.

"I'm more of a mustard person myself." He told me with a smile, grabbing a packet of mustard and squirting it on his corn dog. He was about to take a bite, when I stopped him, pulling out my phone.

"Wait, we must record this moment for posterity." I turned on the video camera, and began narrating, "_Awe… It's Edmund's first corn dog. Smile Edmund!_" He just sent me a look that said he wasn't amused, before taking a bite. He started to choke and sputter.

"That thing is hot as hell. Why didn't you warn me?" His voice was horse, and I was having a hard time not laughing. He just looked at me before waving the hand that wasn't holding a corn dog, "Well, laugh already. I know it's killing you." Since I had permission, I cracked up, nearly dropping my phone. Once the corn dogs had obviously cooled down, Edmund took another bite.

"So, what do you think?" I asked with my video camera on him again. He shrugged and tried to answer with his mouth full.

"I like it." He swallowed before continuing, "I'll probably never have another one, but I like it." I went back to narrating the video.

"There you have it Ladies and Gentleman, Edmund Kirke's first corn dog; definitely an event to remember." Before I turned the camera off, I caught Edmund threatening me on tape.

"If you don't delete that video, this will really turn into an event to remember." I just laughed, because I knew it was an empty threat. I put my phone in my pocket and started to eat my lunch.

"Polly's going to kill us." I told him happily, making him look at me strange.

"Are you feeling okay? Have you been spending too much time with Corin and I?" He asked, and I couldn't tell whether he was serious or joking, until he put his hand on my forehead like he was checking for a fever.

"What do you mean?" we both threw out hot dog sticks into the garbage, before he took my hand and we started walking again.

"It sounds like you're looking forward to getting in trouble." He explained, squeezing my hand, "Your parents are going to be ticked off we corrupted you or something." I smacked him on his stomach, making him fold over in mock pain.

"I don't see a lot of my parents actually." I told him, making him look at me, "The reason I come here is because my parents are busy traveling during the summer. I could come and work here," He interrupted me by fake coughing, 'Harass me' making me hit him on the stomach again, "Or I could go to summer school." His face contorted in mock horror.

"Shovel horse crap all summer, or pretending to pay attention to the teacher in summer school." He pretended to weigh the options.

"Well, it's not really summer school, per say." I told him, "It's more of a camp, where they help you get a jump start on what you'll be learning next year." He started to laugh, making me look at him, "What's so funny?" He just shook his head, trying to contain his laughter, "What, tell me!" Finally, he managed to swallow and let go of my hand.

"It's summer school for geeks." He told me, before taking off at a run, making me chase him through the crowded field where the food booths were located.

Edmund's POV

Soon after walking into the carnival, I had moved my arm from her shoulders to rest around her waist. She seemed to lean into the touch, and we just wandered around for a while, taking in the sights until my stomach started to growl, making me turn red.

"I take it you're hungry?" She asked, making me laugh. I tightened my grip on her waist for a moment before complaining.

"Find me one thing here that isn't deep fried and I'll be your best friend for life." She laughed, leaning into me again.

"I don't know if I can do that, but I did promise I would buy you a corn dog." She stated, making me laugh at the Idea of eating unknown meat, wrapped in deep fried bread.

"To be completely honest, I've never had a corn dog in my life." I said with a smile, apparently shocking her. Her jaw had fallen open and she couldn't seem to fathom the idea.

"You've never had a corn dog?" She asked, making me raise my eyebrows, "Like, never ever?" I gave her a mischievous smile.

"Yup, they don't feed deep-fried mystery meat to people with heart conditions." I told her. I wasn't sad about it. You can't miss what you've never had. She sent me a smirk, which made me a little nervous.

"Do you think we can make an exception?" I smiled, letting out a laugh. Apparently that was a yes, because she grabbed my hand and pulled me to a food stand and ordered two corn dogs. I reached into my pocket to pay for the deep-fried food that was being shoved down my throat. Lucy stopped me when I tried to pay, making me raise my eyebrows, and "This one is on me." She said it in voice that said that she was going to pay, so I should just agree and get on with it, "This is a momentous occasion. I want it to be clear of my part in it." I looked at her, doubting her sanity.

"You'll change your mind if mom finds out." She won't want any part of it, "You'll want your part to be nearly invisible and nonexistent." She laughed as she handed me a corn dog, putting ketchup on hers, while I squirted mustard on mine. I held it up to take a bite, but Lucy stopped me and pulled her phone out.

"Wait, we must record this moment for posterity." _Can't I just eat the damn corn dog? _She began narrating the video, while I glared at her. "_Awe… It's Edmund's first corn dog. Smile Edmund!_" I didn't smile, instead just took a bite, before starting to choke on the hot dog.

"That thing is hot as hell. Why didn't you warn me?" I was trying to catch my breath, and Lucy seemed to be holding back laughter. I just waved my free hand, still trying to breathe properly, "Well, laugh already. I know it's killing you." As soon as she had approval, she bent over in hysterics. I waited for her to be done, before taking another bite. Her phone was pointed at me again.

"So, what do you think?" She asked, making me shrug.

"I like it." I swallowed before finishing, "I'll probably never have another one, but I like it." Lucy's voice turned back to that of a bad TV narrator.

"There you have it Ladies and Gentleman, Edmund Kirke's first corn dog; definitely an event to remember." I glared at her.

"If you don't delete that video, this will really turn into an event to remember." She just laughed and put her phone into her pocket, before starting on her own snack. She turned to me smiling.

"Polly's going to kill us." She said, making me put a hand on her forehead, like I was checking her temperature.

"Are you feeling okay? Have you been spending too much time with Corin and I?" I joked, as we threw our hot dog sticks into the garbage, before walking away from the picnic table, hand and hand. I squeezed her hand, before answering.

"It sounds like you're looking forward to getting in trouble. Your parents are going to be ticked off we corrupted you or something." I joked, making her smack me on the stomach. I doubled over in fake pain.  
>"I don't see a lot of my parents actually." Her voice was even and her face neutral. She wasn't upset, just stating a fact. "The reason I come here is because my parents are busy traveling during the summer. I could come and work here," She seemed to be getting a little upset so I decided to joke with her by fake coughing 'Harass me'. Instead of making her laugh, she whacked me on the stomach, but she was smiling, so she couldn't be too mad, "Or I could go to summer school." I gave her a look of fake shock, before waving my hands, as if I was comparing two things on a scale.<p>

"Shovel horse crap all summer, or pretending to pay attention to the teacher in summer school." She looked at me, biting her lower lip.

"Well, it's not really summer school, per say." She said, grabbing my hand again, "It's more of a camp, where they help you get a jump start on what you'll be learning next year." I when she told me this, I couldn't help but laugh, "What's so funny?" I was trying to contain myself, but could only shake my head in response, "What, Tell Me!" She sounded frustrated, and I managed to swallow down another peal of laughter at her annoyance. I pulled my hand from hers, preparing to run.

"It's summer school for geeks." I said, before running away through the crowds, hearing her call my name, trying to get me to stop.

Lucy's POV

By the time I had caught Edmund and pinned him to the ground, he was begging for mercy, but I doubt he was actually scared. We walked around for a few more hours until the heat had become stifling, making me wish I had worn sandals instead of my tennis shoes. Edmund had actually unbuttoned his shirt and was letting it hang open, revealing his white undershirt. He had sweat dripping down his neck, and now looked like some kind of beach model. I wasn't even close to done ogling him, when he started talking, making me frown.

"I have to go meet Mom's church friends." He groused, "She wants to show me off." He looked even unhappier at that thought, which wasn't that unbelievable. Edmund, being a very private person, obviously wouldn't want to be showed off to the church ladies.

"Err… that sounds like, Fun?" I said warily, watching his shoulders slump. He looked at me, the hint of a wry smirk on his face.

"I'm glad you think so, because you're coming with me." He told me, grabbing my hand and guiding me toward the ticket booth. I was speechless the whole time he was dragging me, and by the time we reached the table, with the cluster of little old ladies sitting at it. Polly was right in the middle. She spotted Edmund before anyone else and sent him a glare. I didn't know what she meant, but Edmund did, apparently, because he let go of my hand to start buttoning his shirt back up. Once it was closed again, Edmund pasted a fake smile on his face, before doing the death march over to Polly.

"Edmund, there you are." She stood up. I tried not to laugh. It was so obvious that none of the tittering old ladies had seen the exchange between Edmund and Polly. I squeezed his hand, in a warning to be good. He squeezed back, which I took as 'I'll try'.

"Hey mom." He said, while being pulled into Polly's arms. Our hands were pulled apart, and Polly wrapped her arm around Edmund's shoulder.

"Ladies, this is Edmund." Every woman started talking at once, reminding me of a gaggle of chickens at a petting zoo. Edmund gave a smile, this one not as forced. One very round lady, who had very large buck teeth and shaggy brown hair, bumbled over and reached up to pinch Edmund's cheek. (Just by looking I could see he was not okay with that.)

"I'm Mrs. Beaverman. Polly talks about you all the time." She said, looking Edmund up and down, as if she were examining him, "You're much taller than she said, and quite a bit handsomer." Edmund flushed scarlet, making me giggle at him and Polly ruffle his hair.

"Well, we don't want him to get a big head, do we Lu?" She asked me, and I just giggled again, making him turn redder. It was a slow process, but all of the church ladies came up told Edmund how handsome, how smart, how sharply dressed, how well he did on the track team _Edmund was on the track team?_, or how much Polly had underestimated him. By the end, He was squirming under Polly's firm grip on him, and was bright red. It was getting dark out, so Edmund finally saw his escape when a muscular woman with a horse face was done giving her once over of him.

"Hey mom, I was wondering if you had a spare blanket. Lucy and I want to go watch the fireworks." She grabbed a knit blanket, handing it to him, before pulling Edmund down to her level, whispering something into his ear. He gave her a gentle smile, before kissing her on the cheek.

"You two enjoy yourselves." She pointed a finger at Edmund with a stern look, "Edmund Kirke, you remember what I told you." He sighed, but nodded anyway. We walked away, toward a large open field that had been set aside for people who wanted to watch the fireworks.

"What did she tell you?" I asked, as Edmund pulled his blue shirt off, tying it around his waist. Now, in just his white undershirt that was semi-see through, he looked the hottest I'd ever seen him.

"When she lectured Corin and I before we left, she warned us to keep our hands to ourselves." He said with a snort of laughter, "She almost completely directed it at Corin." I laughed with him. Corin and Marjorie were going on their first date and they'd already sampled each other's tonsils.

"Sounds about right." I told him, "I didn't know you ran track. Apparently, if your fan section is right, you're pretty good." He nodded.

"I started running in the spring." It was left unspoken as to why I didn't know. We weren't talking, "I won a couple titles in the 100 meter dash."

"That's great. I caught and beat up a track star today." I told him, making him laugh.

"I'm not really a 'Star'. I can just run really fast." He said bashfully, looking at his feet. He laid out the blanket, underneath a large tree where we still had a great view of the fireworks, and sat down, leaving room for me to sit beside him. Eventually, we both lay down, my head on his chest, his arm wrapped around my stomach. When the fireworks started his body tensed, and I thought he was going to pull away. Instead he sat up and looked at me with dark eyes. He barely got out the frustrated words, "Fuck it," before leaning down and kissing me harshly. He was running his hands up and down my sides, practically demanding entrance into my mouth. I granted it without any hesitance, grabbing the back of his neck with one hand, the other running up and down his chest, feeling his muscles through the thin shirt. I was more than a little mad when breathing became necessary. He pulled back far enough to look into my eyes, his were darker than normal, and filled with the desire I felt. I knew I didn't have to worry. This was Edmund. Instead of returning to my lips, he started to press light kisses on my neck, much gentler than before. I slid my hands up under his shirt, running my hands across his stomach. One of his hands had moved to the back of my neck, the other still on roaming my side. I pulled him up to kiss him gently, before he pulled back and rolled off me. Neither of us could get out any words, but we did realize we missed the fireworks.

Edmund's POV

Lucy had tackled me to the ground, and I pretended to be terrified, pleading for forgiveness. When she let me up, I grabbed her hand and we just kept walking and talking. I unbuttoned my shirt, leaving it open, the heat making me sweat. For the first time since Mom and dad took me to the beach, I wished for a pair of sandals. Lucy looked like she was as uncomfortable as me. I reminded her that our lives were about to suck a little more.

"I have to go meet Mom's church friends. She wants to show me off." My voice was somewhere between a pout and a whine, but I really don't like meeting new people.

"Err… that sounds like, Fun?" She asked, making me smile.

"I'm glad you think so, because you're coming with me." I grabbed her hand, dragging her all the way across the carnival. No way was I facing the gossiping old ladies alone. When we got there, Mom spotted me, sending me a look that said, 'Button up and smile', so I did. When I was done, I started to walk slowly over to the gaggle of old women.

"Edmund, there you are." Mom said, pretending that she hadn't just instructed me to behave. Lucy squeeze my hand, so I squeezed back. Mom came up and reached up to wrap her arm around my shoulders, making me lose my grip on Lucy's hand.

"Hey mom." I told her with a screwed on smile. She turned to all the other ladies.

"Ladies, this is Edmund." I smiled when they all started talking at once, until a short lady with brown hair and a round face came over and pinched my face. I had to fight the urge to scowl.

"I'm Mrs. Beaverman." I couldn't help but think the name fit, due to the large buck teeth poking out of her mouth. She started to study me, making me nervous. "Polly talks about you all the time. You're much taller than she said, and quite a bit handsomer." I couldn't help but blush at this, making Lucy giggle. Mom ran her hands through my hair.

"Well we don't want him to get a big head, do we Lu?" Mom stated, making Lucy giggle and me turn flush deeper. Just as I knew they would, all the gossip hounds came and talked about how much they had heard, how well I did in track, and how nice I looked. Polly kept her arm around me, making sure I wouldn't run away under all of the praise. After all of them had had their chance at me, I turned to mom, hoping she'd let me escape.

"Hey mom, I was wondering if you had a spare blanket. Lucy and I want to go watch the fireworks." She smiled at me, before throwing me one of the blankets that she had made. She pulled me down to her level, so she could whisper in my ear.

"Thank you Edmund. I know you hated that." I gave her a smile, before kissing her on the cheek. She sent me a glare, pointing a finger at us. "You two enjoy yourselves. Edmund Kirke, you remember what I told you." I rolled my eyes at her, but nodded, letting her know I would try to remember. As soon as we were out of view, I unbuttoned my blue shirt, tying it around my waist and just wearing the thin undershirt.

"What did she tell you?" Lucy asked, making me laugh.

"When she lectured Corin and I before we left, she warned us to keep our hands to ourselves. She almost completely directed it at Corin." I said, making her laugh too.

"Sounds about right. I didn't know you ran track." She asked, and I blushed, "Apparently, if your fan section is right, you're pretty good." I looked at feet.

"I started running in the spring." _You don't know because we weren't together. _"I won a couple titles in the 100 meter dash." I told her, still looking at my feet. I always got embarrassed when people talked about me being good. I just never saw it that way.

"That's great." She giggled, "I caught and beat up a track star today." I laughed with her, but blushed again.

"I'm not really a 'Star. I can just run really fast." I distracted myself from all of the attention by laying out the blanket and sitting down, letting her sit beside me. After a few minutes, I lay back, holding my arm out so she could put her head down on my chest. She felt warm and perfect. All my thoughts revolved around our kiss from yesterday. I know if I kiss her right now, she'll respond. The question is 'Will I be able to stop?' I felt my body get tense and I sat up and looked down at her. She looked confused, and I just muttered out, "Fuck it," before pressing my lips to hers. I ran my tongue over her bottom lip, practically making her open her mouth. She didn't fight me, instead grabbed my neck so I couldn't pull away, even if I wanted to. I started to run my hands up and down her body, trying my best not to touch anything that would get me in trouble later. Her hand was running up my chest and I couldn't help but wish the shirt wasn't there. After a few minutes, breathing became a necessity, so I pulled away. I looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of regret or hesitance. There wasn't any, only a raw desire that I was very familiar with. I leaned down and kissed her neck, inhaling the smell that I had missed so much. Her hands were under my shirt, tracing my muscles, and I moved one of my hands to the side of her neck, and my other still on her sides. She pulled me up for a gentle kiss. I rolled off, realizing if I didn't stop, I don't think I would. We were silent, but the only sounds were people packing up their blankets. I guess we missed the fireworks.

Lucy's POV

"So he kissed you?" Marjorie asked, practically bouncing on her bed, "Just like that?" I blushed but nodded, then shook my head.

"This wasn't a kiss. This was a bloody make-out session." I told her, "I mean, it lasted all through the fireworks."

"Was it as great as you remember?" She asked, lying back on her bed. I giggled.

"You know that saying, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'?" She sent me a duh look, "Their right."

"Well, Little Miss Lucy!" She said in mock shock. I blushed, and changed the subject.

"What about you, how was your day?" She blushed herself.

"Well…"

A/N: CLIFF HANGER! *insert evil laugh* So how many people are happy I FINALLY put up the carnival? I know I'm bloody happy!


	15. Disclaimer 3

DISCLAIMER:  
>I OWN NOTHING!<p>

LITERALLY NOTHING!  
>Just the plot…<p>

*Sobs at inability to create amazing characters*


	16. The Carnival: Marjorie and Corin

**THE CARNIVAL**  
><strong>PART TWO:<strong>  
><span>Marjorie and Corin.<span>

_*Warning: The whole chapter, except for the intro, is in flash back._

Intro

_*There are dirty words_

Corin's POV

"Geez Ed, I can't believe you kissed her." I told him, making him blush scarlet, "I mean, yesterday you wouldn't even kiss her, and now you're practically feeling her up at the CHURCH carnival." He grabbed his pillow and threw it at me, unfortunately having excellent aim, hitting me square in the forehead.

"You're one to talk. You and Marjorie can't keep your hands off each other for ten seconds, let alone long enough to have a conversation." He joked, making me throw the pillow back at him.

"You're just angry you can't get that kind of action." I said, making him laugh.

"Oh yeah, so jealous. So what the hell did happen between you two?" He asked, leaning back on his bed.

"I don't kiss and tell." I told him with a smirk.

"Only because you always kiss in front of people. You just let them tell for you." He snarked, before throwing the pillow back, "Come on asshole, what did you do? If you don't tell me, I'm just going to say that you ate funnel cake and rode the merry-go-round all day."

"Fine, I'll Tell you…"

Marjorie's POV

"So he kissed you?" I asked her, seconds from bouncing up and down on my bed, "Just like that?" She blushed and started to nod, but shook her head instead. I looked at her, completely confused.

"This wasn't a kiss. This was a bloody make-out session." She said, looking dreamy eyed, obviously reliving it. I think she's going to sleep well tonight. "I mean, it lasted all through the fireworks." It was their personal fireworks. I lay back on the bed

"Was it as great as you remember? I said, know by her expression that it was. She giggled before asking her own question.

"You know that saying, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'? I sent her a look, telling her to keep going, "They're right." I smiled at first, before feigning shock and horror.

"Well, Little Miss Lucy!" She was scarlet when she tried to change the topic.

"What about you, how was your day?" I blushed, before think over what I wanted to say.

"Well…"

The Carnival: Part Two

Marjorie's POV

We all climbed out of the truck, before looking at each other and silently agreeing that we would just meet up at the end of the day.

"Meet you back here after the fireworks?" Edmund asked, his arm around Lucy's shoulders. _They're so cute together!_ Corin nodded, before pulling me closer and wrapping his arm around my waist. I giggled when he pressed his fingers into my side, making me giggle and arch away.

"Corin, stop it." I scolded, but it wasn't very effective, due to the fact I was still giggling.

"And when the giggling begins, I bow out." Edmund said, making Lucy laughed, "Don't have too much fun." Corin glared at him, but Edmund just shook his head and walked away. Corin kept tickling me for a few more minutes, before I was finally out of breath from laughing. Once I had my breath back, we started walking around. We passed some food vendors, and Corin bought us both one of those lemon shake-up things. At some point, his arm had moved from holding my hand to my shoulders, then, without my noticing, around my waist (not that I'm complaining.) The boy was anything, if not smooth.

"Do you want to ride any of the rides?" He asked me, squeezing my waist. I nodded, and looked around.

"What all is there? I didn't really see any." I told him, making him point over to the opposite side of the giant field they were having the carnival in.

"They put them over there, because they light the fireworks on this side." He told me. I pulled away from him, throwing my lemonade cup away, before grabbing his hand and pulling him in that direction.

"Come on then!" When we got to the area where all the rides were, we saw Mrs. Kirke selling tickets at a card table. Corin went up and smiled.

"Morning Mum." He told her, in what I'm sure he thought was a winning voice. She just looked at him suspiciously.

"You have to pay for tickets like everyone else." When he pulled out his wallet with a sigh, I knew she'd hit the nail on the head. He bought twenty tickets, gave her another smile and a peck on the cheek.

"Have a good day Love." He flirted, and Mrs. Kirke, I'm sure despite her best efforts, blushed a light pink. I couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Corin took my hand again, pulling me toward the rides. The first place we went was to the Ferris wheel, handing over our tickets and getting into our car. We stopped about half-way up to the top, before Corin turned to me, smiling.

"If I kiss you when we're not at the very top, is it still cliché?" I giggled.

"Yes, but who doesn't like a little cliché every once in a while." I told him, watching as he leaned in to place his lips gently on mine. I kissed back, pressing my lips to his firmly. His hand wound around to the back of my neck, drawing small circles on it. The ride started moving again, so we separated. When we reached the bottom, we both climbed off and just started to walk around, looking at all the games they had set up. When we got to the squirt gun races, I challenged Corin, which he accepted quickly.

We sat down at two of the stools, a six-year-old boy already seated and ready to play. The race began, the small horses making their way toward the end of the track. While I beat Corin, the red-headed boy beat both of us by a long shot. This was probably due to the fact that Corin kept trying to distract me by poking me in the side. While the little boy collected his prize, I turned to Corin with a fake scowl.

"I would've won if you hadn't distracted me!" He pulled me close, placing his lips chastely against mine.

"Forgive me?" He whispered lowly, making me blush. I felt a pull on the skirt of my dress and looked down to see the little boy holding out the stuffed panda. His blue eyes were wide and shy and his voice was small.

"I won this for you." He told me, pushing the animal closer into my arms. I leaned down to his level, taking the bear into my arms.

"Are you sure?" I asked gently, wishing I was more like Lucy. She would know what to say in this situation.

"Yes, you're really pretty." His round little cheeks were red. Despite the fact he was at least nine years younger than me, this was the sweetest thing that I had ever seen. I gave him a gentle smile, pulling off one of the silly bandz my little sister gave me for my birthday.

"Well, then I have to give you a present too." He stared at the lime green palm tree like it was made of gold and diamonds. He threw his arms around my neck, before scampering off. I stood up, hugging the tiny panda to my chest. Corin was staring at me with an amused look.

"Edmund ever finds out about this and I'll never live it down." He told me, making me furrow my eyebrows.

"Live what down?" He laughed, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"A six-year-old is romancing my date better than me." I laughed with him this time as we started to walk away from the games. We rode some more rides, exchanging chaste kisses every once in a while. Corin was afraid to take it further because he said 'If it gets back to my mom or, God help me, Polly, I'm a dead man.' It was getting dark, so we walked back to his truck so we could watch the fireworks. We sat in the bed of the truck, which gave us a perfect view of the field where they were setting them off. Once it was completely dark and the sky was lighting up with several colors, Corin pulled me closer and pressed his lips firmly to mine. He motioned for me to lay down on the blanket, stretching himself over me. We made out furiously in the back of his truck until we heard Edmund's voice calling out.

"Anything you don't want seen should be stopped immediately." We pulled apart and sat up. Edmund was smirking at us, and Lucy was sending me a sly grin. However, I couldn't help but notice that Edmund's hair mussed up, as if someone had been running their hands through it, and Lucy's face was flushed and her lips swollen, as if they had been enjoying some fun of their own. I sent her a knowing look, making her blush even more.

"Well, get in the damn truck so we can go home." Corin snarked at him, climbing out of the truck bed, before helping me out.

**A/N: I'm sorry I didn't do Corin's POV on this. I honestly had some serious writers block. I know what I'm going to have happen next, but this chapter was just really hard for me! I hope everyone got the picture. No one needs to flame me to tell me how much it sucks… Trust me, I know. **


	17. Don't Kick Me While I'm Down

Edmund's POV

I came in from the corral to see Corin and Marjorie flirting openly. I rolled my eyes and threw a horse brush at him.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth and make yourself useful." Corin laughed and Marjorie giggled. She picked up the brush and walked over to one of the little ponies that we have for when scouts come to visit. Corin grabbed another brush and started brushing the same pony on the other side. I rolled my eyes, before grabbing a bale of hay and feeding the horses, being sure to steer clear of Jewel, as per instructed. I was already in trouble.

_*Flashback*_

_I walked into the kitchen and saw Mom on the phone. I caught a snippet of her conversation, which ended in 'Don't worry; I'll talk to him about it.' This made me a little nervous, because her entire posture said 'Edmund is in HUGE trouble.' She turned around and I just started eating my Cheerios silently, not acknowledging the fact that I was clearly in trouble for something. All the while, I was wracking my brain to figure out what I'd done._

"_Edmund Kirke, you are in so much trouble." I looked up at her glowering face, which normally wouldn't bother me, seeing as she glared at me at least three times a day, but it was tinged with disappointment, which made my stomach turn. I looked back at my lap, a little ashamed of myself, even though I didn't know what I was supposed to be ashamed for._

"_Why?" I said quietly, trying to hide. I know I didn't have anything to worry about, as far as what I've always considered punishment, but hiding just comes naturally at this point. I heard Mom sit down beside me and let out a sigh._

"_Edmund, look at me." She said firmly, making me look up. She brushed a piece of hair out of my eyes, "Not that kind of trouble." She smiled slightly, before frowning, "I just got a call from Mrs. Beaverman." I furrowed my eyebrows at her._

"_The chubby lady with the buck teeth?" I asked, ducking as she cuffed me on the back of the head. She was laughed when she did, so I could tell she felt the same._

"_She said that she saw you and Lucy at the fireworks." She told me, making my eyes bug out. I now know why she was upset. It's not exactly proper to make out on church property (not that I haven't done it before). I tried to think of a proper response, but could only come up with a simple,_

"_Oh." Mom sent me a sideways glare._

"_Yeah, oh; Edmund, please be careful." I turned bright red, "I'm not worried about reputations, because by tomorrow they'll have someone new to gossip about, and I know that you won't take it any farther than Lucy says she wants to, but just be careful."_

"_What do you mean?" I asked. I'd already had the talk with Peter, when he came for Easter, but this didn't sound like the birds and the bees._

"_Edmund, sometime, you might have to say 'No'. I'm not ready to be Grandma Polly yet." She told me with a smirk, "I know you can take care of yourself, but please, be careful."_

"_I will, I promise." I told her, matching her smirk, "I'm not ready to be daddy yet." She laughed and hugged me close, kissing my cheek and whispering in my ear,_

"_Sticking with you was the best decision we ever made." I pulled away and looked at her, making sure I heard her right. _

"_I love you mom." I told her, slightly choked up. She must've seen that I'd reached my sentimental limit for the day, because she grabbed a spatula and hit me lightly on the arm._

"_Get back to work."_

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of a horse screaming. I looked up to see Marjorie opening Jewel's pen.

"No, Marjorie, don't!" I tried to warn her, but it was already too late, Jewel was out and I immediately went into control freak mode "Corin, get her out of here. Don't come back in until I say it's okay." Corin quickly pushed Marjorie out of the barn, while I ran over and tried to grab onto Jewel to calm her down. Phillip was freaking out on the other side of the barn, either peeved he wasn't getting any attention, or completely aware this horse could kick my ass. I stepped closer to Jewel and started to speak calmly to her.

"Hey, it's okay… You're gonna be okay." I kept whispering calmly to her while I guided her into her pen. I almost had her completely in, when Corin's phone went off, spooking her. She reared up, kicking me in the stomach, knocking me to the ground. I hit my head on the hard wooden floor, and knew no more.

Corin's POV

I was listening for Edmund's okay, while I heard him whispering gently to the horse, calming her down slowly. Unfortunatly, after about five minutes, I heard my phone ringing in the barn, with the answering scream of the loose horse. The angry animal ran out of the barn door, but I didn't see Edmund chasing after her, as he would if he was okay. I waited for a sign from him, before running into the barn, seeing him sprawled out on the floor. His arm was twisted at an odd angle and he was obviously unconscious. I leaned down and checked his pulse, noticing it was beating dramaticly faster than it should be.

"Marjorie," I yelled, making her sprint into the barn. She pulled up short at the sight of Edmund, but I pulled her out of her shock by giving her directions immediately, "Over on the counter is a Walkie-Talkie with a sticker on it. Radio Polly and tell her to call 911. If she asks why, Edmund was kicked by one of the horses, he's unconscious, and his heart is beating way too fast and it won't slow down." She ran to get the walkie-talkie, but I had turned my attention back to Edmund. His breaths were heavy, quick, and force, and, even unconscious, his face was twisted in pain. His arm was obviously broken, most likely a few ribs were cracked from the trouble he was having breathing. I just sat beside him, keeping my hand on his pulse, willing it to slow down. After what seemed like an eternity, the paramedics showed up, strapped him down and loaded him into the ambulance.

Lucy's POV

Marjorie and I woke up at the same time, got dressed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Polly was there, slamming pots and pans around. She looked at us when we came in, and the look wasn't a pleased one.

"Marjorie, hurry up and eat your cereal. I need to speak to Lucy privately." She told Marjorie, while still banging around. Marjorie sent me a look, before scarfing her Cheerios and bolting out the door. She most likely went down to the barn to see if there was anywhere she could get away from this look. The look Polly was sending me was a disappointed death glare. "Now, I've already talked to Edmund, so you don't think you're the only one in trouble." I shifted in my seat under her steady stare, "I got a call from Mrs. Beaverman this morning." I shifted in my seat again as Polly sat down beside me at the scrubbed wooden table.

"Your friend from church?" I asked, even though I knew exactly who she was.  
>"Yes, she said she saw you and Edmund at the fireworks last night." She told me, making it clear what this conversation was about. Instead of coming up with a real reply, I just looked down at my lap with a quiet hum.<p>

"So you obviously know why I'm upset?" She said, and again I didn't give her a response, and just twisted my fingers in my lap, "Now, I don't know what happened between you two, and, at this point, I don't really care, but that was completely inappropriate."

"Yes ma'am." I mumbled out. She put her hand on mine, making me look up at her.

"Lucy, Edmund's a good boy, and he usually knows when to say 'No', but he's a sixteen-year-old boy." She told me, looking at me gently now, "I'm not worried about my church friends, because Edmund will probably never go back to the property and, by tomorrow, they'll have someone else to talk about. But you need to be careful." I nodded, and she patted me on the shoulder, "Don't make us have this conversation again." I gave her a small smile. It was clear what she was saying. She likes Edmund and I together, she just doesn't want any grandkids quite yet. I ate my breakfast in silence, while Polly putted around the kitchen, much quieter than she was when Marjorie and I came in. After a few minutes we heard the call of the emergency Walkie-Talkie from the corner. Polly lunged for it and pressed the talk button.

"Yes, what is it?" She asked franticly. I heard Marjorie's voice on the other side.

'_Polly, Edmund got kicked by a horse. He's unconscious and his heart is beating really fast.' _

"Marjorie, I'm gonna call 911. Did you get the horse back in its pen?"

'_No, she ran away after she kicked him.'_

"Alright, I'll be right down." Polly grabbed her cell phone, and I ran out of the door and down to the barn.


	18. Two Ribs and an Arm

A/N: Super short one! Break is coming up so I'll be able to write more often. Reviews= Love!

Lucy's POV

Corin, Marjorie, and I were all sitting in the hospital waiting room. Corin was practically pulling his hair out, and Marjorie looked close to tears. You could tell both of them blamed themselves for what happened, and I'm not sure if Polly didn't blame them. To distract myself from the suffocating atmosphere of the hospital, I flipped through an old magazine until Polly came out pushing Edmund in a wheelchair. His arm was in a lime green cast, and he was sitting rigidly, so I guessed his stomach was bandaged as well. What you could see of his legs from his shorts were black and blue, and there was a bruise forming on his cheek. But despite all of this, he had a goofy grin on his face, and was twisting his fingers in his lap, like he couldn't sit still.

When he reached us, he held up the arm that was now encased in plaster. His grin got even bigger and he started to giggle, "Look, my arm is green!" Corin started to laugh, and I had to bite back my giggles.

"Polly, how many pain meds is he on?" Corin asked, finally swallowing some of his laughter.

"Enough to not feel a broken arm, concussion, and two cracked ribs, he's feeling just fine." Polly responded, carding her fingers through Edmund's dark hair. Edmund, to his credit, didn't try to swipe her away as he normally would. Instead he just giggled and leaned back in the chair.

"Mom, I'm hungry." He said, "Can I have a sandwich?" Polly ignored him, pushing him out toward the parking lot. We loaded Edmund into the car, to which he wasn't much help because his legs were too wobbly to stand up straight. Eventually, Corin just picked him up and laid him in the back seat of the truck. I hopped in and rested his head on my lap, while Corin and Marjorie sat up front with Polly. Once the truck started to rumble down the road, Edmund forgot all about his sandwich, promptly falling asleep in my lap.

"He's out." I stated. Polly laughed, along with Corin.

"So now you've seen Edmund on pain meds. What do you think?" Polly asked, still chuckling.

"This wasn't even close to as good as last time." Corin said, making Polly laugh again, before explaining for Marjorie and I's benefit, "He was just looking around the room, going on and on about a magical forest in the back of his closet." I laughed with everyone else, running my fingers through his long hair. He leaned into the touch with a sigh, mumbling something under his breath.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Marjorie and I were woken by Edmund's voice coming from his room.<p>

"God damnit!" He yelled, "I need drugs." From our places in bed, we exchanged a look, before bursting up laughing.

"You don't think he's mad at me do you?" Marjorie asked, sobering. I laughed again, making her glare at me.

"I think he's too sore to be mad at anyone." I said, making her laugh with me. We both got dressed and walked to the kitchen, walking in on a very beautiful sight. Edmund was sitting at the kitchen table, his face twisted up in pain, wearing nothing but sweat shorts and a tank top. I went and sat beside him at the table, grabbing his good hand and holding it. He turned and gave me a small smile that was more of a grimace, before pulling away and eating his breakfast. Once his food was gone, Polly handed him two white pills, which he took gratefully. After a few minutes, his posture slackened, obviously showing the pain meds were working.

"Marjorie," He stated, making her jump, "I never got to ask; you didn't get hurt did you?" She looked down at her hands.

"No, I'm fine." She murmured, making Edmund send me a strange look.

"Okay… Mom, I'm going back to bed. Wake me when I am needed." He stood up, hunched over and began to hobble out of the kitchen, leaning heavily on the wall. Polly sighed deeply.

"Lucy, help him would you?" I stood up and grasp Edmund gently under his shoulder, keeping him up straight. Once I had him tucked back into bed, I turned to leave the room so he could sleep, but he grabbed my hand before I could leave.

"Stay for a bit." He asked with an innocent smile. I smiled back and lay down against him, mindful of his ribs. He turned over and pressed a kiss to my lips, making me respond instantly. He pulled me closer, making me wrap my arms around his neck. We continued for about ten minutes, until Polly yelled from the kitchen.

"Lucy, get out of there and let him sleep!" We pulled apart, with Edmund on top of me and me clutching his shoulders to pull him closer. Edmund rolled off of me with a grimace.

"I don't know how she always knows…" He said, inhaling deeply. I laughed, pecking him on the cheek, before standing up.

"Get some sleep." I told him, making him smile and roll onto his side. Not seconds later, Edmund's light snores filled the room, and I left, quietly shutting the door.

Edmund POV

I woke up in bed, with no idea how I got there, in more pain then I could remember. The blinding pain was coming from my ribs and my left arm, which was encased in green plaster. Despite all my efforts to contain it, I sat up and yelled out to someone who I hoped was listening.

"God Damnit! I need drugs!" When no one came, I slid on an undershirt and padded hesitantly to the kitchen, clutching the wall for support. Mom was there making breakfast and I slid into my seat cautiously. She turned and smiled at me, running her fingers through my hair. I looked up at her and asked, "What happened? The last thing I remember is yelling at Corin to get Marjorie out of the barn and now I feel like I've been hit by a bus." Mom gave a dark laugh, which let me know I wasn't too far from the mark.

"Close, you were kicked by a horse." She told me, putting a plate of eggs and toast in front of me, "Eat those and then you can have your pain pills."

"Cruel, mother, just cruel." I told her with a mock glare, before starting to pick at the eggs. A few minutes later, Lucy came in and grabbed my good hand. I tried to smile at her, but didn't really succeed. Mom sent me a look, so I pulled away and started back in on my food. After the food had disappeared, Mom handed me two of my Vicodin. It only took a few moments for me to relax and the pain to go away for the most part. I turned to Marjorie, who was sitting awkwardly at the table, "Marjorie, I never got to ask, you didn't get hurt did you?" Staring at her hands she muttered to me.

"No, I'm fine." I sent Lucy a look, before standing up, because the drugs were making me drowsy.

"Okay… Mom, I'm going back to bed. Wake me when I am needed." I made a big show of hunching over and leaning on the wall, hoping Mom would assign Lucy to help me back to my room, which she did. Lucy grabbed me under the shoulder and walked me back to my room, tucking me into the blue covers of my bed. She went to walk away, but I grabbed her arm and sent her an innocent smile, "Stay for a bit." She smiled knowingly and lay back down. I turned over to her, kissing her on the lips. She responded by opening her mouth, allowing me to slip my tongue inside. I rolled on top of her, while she clutched me firmly, pulling me close. It was a short while before Mom yelled out.

"Lucy, get out of there and let him sleep!" We pulled apart, with a giggle from Lucy and a grimace from me.

"I don't know how she always knows…" Even last summer, when Lucy and I were together, Mom always seemed to come in at the most inopportune moments. Lucy laughed again, pecking my cheek. She stood up and walked to the door, but not before turning to me and smiling.

"Get some sleep." I smiled back and rolled over, falling asleep instantly.


	19. Cupcakes

Edmund's POV

"So, you're coming tomorrow?" I asked, only half-way hoping he was. I was sitting in my room, about two weeks after Jewel had her mental breakdown, talking to Peter on the phone.

"Yeah, me and the little miss will be stopping by on our way to Galma." He told me. I let out a sigh when he told me Ella, his fiancé, was coming. Peter was a bigger mother hen than my own mom. If it was just him coming, I would be screwed, because, despite the fact my ribs were healed up, I was still pretty bruised up and my arm was still wrapped in the tacky green cast. If Ella is there, he'll have to concentrate on her as well. Also, Ella and I have a lot in common, as far as our generally cynical attitudes go.

"Awesome, I can't wait to see you." And I meant it. I hadn't seen him since last spring, at a track meet in New York City, where I broke the state record for 100 meter dash. It was my last track meet too, because two weeks later, I collapsed at practice while having a mild heart attack.

"Me either, I…" He started, but was cut off when Ella started to yell at him in the background. I started to laugh at him, although I had no idea what he was in trouble for, "Ed, I have to go." He sounded so terrified that it made me laugh again.

"Alright, I hope she doesn't kill you." I half-joked, listening to Ella in the background.

"Yeah, me too…" He whimpered, making me laugh and hang up.

I pulled on one of my many Narnia Ranch t-shirts and a pair of faded khaki shorts, before walking to the kitchen. Mom, for once, wasn't the one puttering around the kitchen. Instead, Marjorie was standing at the counter mixing something in a bowl. Ever since the accident, Marjorie has been avoiding me like I had the plague and it is getting a little discomforting. _I wonder if she's pissed I didn't tell her about Jewel?_

"Hey, what are you making?" I asked her, making her spin around and brandish her wooden spoon like a weapon. I held my hands up in surrender, hoping to spare the discomfort of having two women beating me with kitchen utensils, "I give, I give!" She gave me a small smile, before turning around and continued what she was doing. I walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a bag of Chex Mix and grabbed an orange juice from the fridge. She stirred whatever it was (probably something I won't be allowed to eat) and I ate my snack in silence until I finally spoke up

"Are you pissed at me?" She spun around again, this time not in fear, but in shock.

"No, why would I be?"

"I don't know, but you've been pissy for two weeks. Are you pissed I didn't tell you about Jewel?" She sighed and sat down beside me at the table.

"No, but I'm a little mad at myself." She whispered, staring at her hands. My eyebrows locked together, and I frowned.

"Because you opened the pen?" I hope that's what it is. If it's not, then she'll probably have another reason to be pissy. Fortunately, she nodded and I sighed, half in relief, half in frustration.

"I'm the reason you got hurt…" She whispered, and I sighed again. I reached out and patted her back awkwardly.

"Technically, it's the horse's fault." I joked, trying to lighten the mood, "If she wasn't afraid of her own shadow, we wouldn't be in this situation." As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I regretted them, because seconds later she was a crying, hysterical mess. _Damn horse!_ Her arms were flung around my neck, and her elbow was digging into a bruise that hadn't quite healed yet. I rubbed awkward circles on her back and praised every god that existed that Lucy had never done this to me. Lucy did choose that moment to walk in, sending me a look that was filled with amusement and confusion. I sent a look back that clearly said, 'Help Me!' Lucy laughed, but walked over and pried Marjorie off of me, holding her in her arms, doing a much better job of comforting than I could.

"Geez Margie, let the boy breathe." She joked, making Marjorie laugh. I grabbed my Chex Mix and juice, kissed Lucy on the cheek as a thank you, and sprinted into the living room without looking back.

Lucy's POV

When I came into the kitchen around lunch time, Marjorie and Polly were talking fervently about something, but neither seemed angry.

"Plain white cupcakes are clearly superior to the fancy mess that you're talking about." Polly told her, and I knew they were talking about baking, Marjorie's secret passion.

"I don't see how my strawberry and mascarpone cupcakes can be considered a 'fancy mess', I make them for everything." She said, sounding indignant. I understood that though. The cupcakes are one of Marjorie's secret recipes. She created it herself and won't even tell me, who is hopeless at baking anything without assistance, what the secret is.

"It's a big city thing; it won't fit here in rural America." Polly scoffed, making Marjorie laugh.

"Are you willing to give up your kitchen for the day?" She asked grinning. It was good to see Marjorie relaxing. For the last two weeks she'd been wound up like spring, feeling so guilty about Edmund getting hurt, "I'll make you a batch. I even altered the recipe for my dad when he started having problems with blood pressure, so Edmund can eat them." Polly seemed taken aback at that, and smiled at her.

"You're on. I have some paperwork to catch up on anyway." Polly told her, "Lucy can show you the store room if what you need isn't in the kitchen." She said, looking at me and I nodded.

Marjorie and I worked on the cupcakes for a good two hours, until she kicked me out of the kitchen, saying to come back in twenty minutes, after she had her secret ingredient in. After thirty minutes on the couch watching soap operas with Polly, I went back to the kitchen to find Marjorie crying hysterically in Edmund's arms, while he rubbed her back, trying to be comforting. Edmund sent me a desperate look, which made me laugh, before going over to help him.

"Geez Margie, let the boy breathe." I said gently, pulling her off of Edmund and taking her into my arms. Edmund, after grabbing the bag of Chex Mix he was eating, kissed me on the cheek, making it tingle, and fled the kitchen.

"Do you think he's mad at me now?" She asked me sheepishly, giving a small smile.

"Edmund isn't big on weeping girls. I doubt he's mad, but he might be a little uncomfortable…" I told her, dancing around the point. _He's going to avoid you like the plague!_

"Oh, well, I'm just glad he isn't mad!" She chirped, clearly over her mental breakdown. I smiled at her, and motioned to the counter where she was making her cupcakes.

Edmund's Pov

I was sitting on the couch with Mom, waiting for the kitchen to clear of hysterical, over-emotional girls. She was sorting through some of the papers from the last month. While Dad and I work non-stop to keep the barn running smoothly and the horses happy, Mom gets the crappy job of dealing with all the expenses, paperwork, and people who come to visit and board their horses here. Clearly, we got off easy.

"Peter's coming tomorrow." I told her, and she snorted, motioning to the cast on my arm.

"Good luck with that." I laughed with her.

"He's bringing Ella." I told her, sending her a small smirk.

"Lucky you." I smiled again, "Marjorie is making cupcakes that she assures me you can eat. Said something about altering the recipe for her dad," Mom told me, making me smile brightly. I literally can't remember the last time I had cake of any sort.

"Awesome," I gave her what I assumed to be a winning smile, "So, I think I'm going to go riding now…" I told her, standing up. She just motioned me out and I ran, not waiting for her to process what I said and change her mind.

I had Phillip out of his stall and was working on getting him saddled, when Dad walked in. He sent me a look that said, 'Did you ask your mom?' making me smile innocently at him.

"Don't give me that look. If Polly finds out you went without permission it's both our heads." He told me with a glare, which was ruined by his smile. I smiled impishly, before choosing my words carefully.

"I asked, I swear!" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Was she asleep at the time?"

"No, She was doing paperwork." He sighed and turned away, "Come on! I haven't had a chance to be outside of a twenty yard radius of the two of you since April." He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You haven't have you?" His seemed to be having an internal battle. "Alright, I'm letting the prisoner off on parole, but if she asks, I didn't know." He said, throwing me one of the walkie talkies, making me grin. It was the one that went five miles! "Be careful Edmund."

Once I was out on one of our longer trails, I started thinking. Considering it had been almost three months since I'd had the chance, I had a lot to clear out of my head. Really, I had three big things to think about: Lucy, my birth-dad, and how I'm going to tell Lucy.

_I really never thought that I'd end up with Lucy again. I mean, I love her, and was pretty sure I always would, but can I trust her? No going back now, but is that undertone of awkwardness always going to be there? I wish I could erase going to the play to surprise her, then things could be the same as they were last summer. I trust her with so much, with much more than I do Mom and Dad. Half of what my parents know about me, they read in a children's services file, but I always seem to talk to Lucy, and I'm not afraid to cry in front of her. God, how am I going to tell her!_

_When my birth dad, Alexander Taylor (Peter and Susan's uncle), showed up at the ranch, I punched him in the face._

*Flashback*

April 5, 2011

I walked into the kitchen, looking at a man with black hair, who looked a lot like me. He had the same eyes and the same permanent scowl that I seemed to wear a lot. He was drinking coffee, and smiled when I came in.

"You must be Edmund?" He asked, and I sent him a wary look.

"Yeah…" Mom came into the kitchen and smiled at me, which I returned with a confused look.

"Edmund, this is Alexander Taylor." I stiffened at the name 'Taylor', even though I knew it was a fairly common name, "He's Susan and Peter's uncle." My eyes narrowed and a grip of fear clenched in my stomach.

"What do you want?" I asked, glaring at him. The warm smile, which was so much like mine, faltered a little.

"I wanted to meet my son…" He told me, reaching his hand out to touch my arm, but I yanked it away.

"So, as Peter and Susan's uncle, you had to know I existed?" I asked him darkly, trying to calm down.

"Well, yes I did, but I had my relationship with my brother to think about." My glare darkened even more.

"So, even after he was in prison, and you found out that bastard boy," Mom, who was watching the whole exchange, let out a gasp at that, "was being physically abused for a year, you didn't think that that might be a good time to step in?"

"Well, I guess I didn't think about it at the time…" He stuttered out, obviously not expecting the completely warranted anger that was radiating off of me.

"So why in the hell would you, now that things are going pretty good, decide that this is the right time for some father-son bonding?"

"Well, I have some things to tell you…" He started, but didn't get to finish, because ten seconds later, he was flat on his back, holding the eye I had just punched.

"I don't plan on listening." I told him, before taking off out of the kitchen door, and as far away from the house as possible.

_Luckily, Mom listened to him. It turns out that he knew exactly what was wrong with my heart; an extremely rare blood disorder called Shifts Syndrome. It only runs through the paternal line, which is why the hospitals never tested me for it. They had Peter tested, but to avoid Andrew finding out whose son I really was, they never tested me._

_Basically what it is, my blood has an acidic quality to it. So far, it has only worn away at my heart, basically dissolving parts of it. Eventually though, it will move on to other organs, and eventually my brain. If it's caught early enough, they can transfer your blood out through series of transfusions. But they didn't catch it soon enough with me, and the stress from the transfers would probably kill me._

_I don't know how to tell Lucy. I don't know how to tell her that the doctors in every hospital we've been to have predicted that I won't live to see thirty, that if I see twenty-eight, I'm one lucky bastard._

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Mom's voice coming through the walkie talkie.

"Edmund Kirke, you get your butt back here now." By the tone of her voice, despite the electronic crackling, I could tell I was in trouble. I looked around, noticing I was at least two hours ride from the ranch. I picked up the walkie, preparing for a string of verbal abuse.

"Okay, I'll be back in about two hours. I took the Beaversdam trail." I told her, mentally preparing myself.

"Okay, be careful." I could feel her worried gaze through the walkie talkie, making me smile.

Two hours later, I walked into the kitchen, spotting cupcakes on the table. They were covered in something pinkish, which looked like pure sugar. There were two on a separate plate that weren't covered in the pink goo. I barely got a chance to look around, before Mom attacked me, wrapping me in her arms.

"What did we say about going off alone?" She told me, holding me tightly.

"I needed to think. I haven't had the chance in a long time." I gave her a small smile, wrapping my arms around her as well.

"You mean since the big announcement last April?" She told me pulling away. We both sat at the table and she pushed the cupcakes without the icing over toward me, making me grab one enthusiastically. I shoved it into my mouth, relishing the sweet taste that I haven't had in at least three years. Mom laughed at me, before grabbing one of the cupcakes that had icing on them, "Slow down Ed, it's not going to run away." I smiled in response, reaching for the other cupcake, before pulling my hand back. _I'll save that one for later._

"No, but you could change your mind." I told her, getting out a post-it note and sharpie, and writing in bold letters: **THIS IS EDMUND'S! TOUCH ON PAIN OF DEATH! **I stuck the note on the plate and slide it into the fridge.

She just laughed, before turning sober. "Are you going to tell Peter tomorrow?" I sent her a wry smirk.

"I planned on it, but I don't know how to start that conversation. Hey, Pete, it's great to see you! So, we found out who my birth dad is, I made the honor roll, oh, and I'm going to die a slow and painful death. Wanna go riding?" I told Mom, before my stomach plummeted at the sound of the tearful voice in the kitchen door…

"What do you mean die?" _I guess I don't have to figure out how to tell Lucy._

Lucy's POV

Marjorie had finished the cupcakes, glazing all of them, except for two, which were deemed Edmund's. She gave a giant yawn, as she often did after baking, having thrown her everything into making whatever the treat of the day was perfect. Polly came in and saw the two plates.

"I'll test them when Edmund gets back. He said he was going riding…" She trailed off, making her smile drop from her face, replaced quickly with scowl, as she muttered to herself, walking over to the walkie talkie (not the bright red one for emergencies) and started searching the channels, calling his name on every one. Once she got to channel five, she finally got a response to her angry yells, as Edmund's electronic voice came through the little black box.

"Okay, I'll be back in about two hours. I took the Beaversdam trail." Polly seemed to stiffen, and Marjorie and I both waited for the explosion, but were surprised to get a worried and slightly relieved reply.

"Okay, be careful." Polly told him, and I could practically see the smirk he was giving her. Polly turned to us with a calm face, "You girls should go rest for the two hours. You look like you both need it." We both smiled and retreated. As we were changing into our sweat pants for some hard-core napping, Marjorie brought up a question we had both been wondering the answer to.

"Why do you think Mr. and Mrs. Kirke guard Edmund like a federal prisoner?" She said, climbing into her bed. I sent back a questioning gaze.

"I don't know. Even after his heart attack last summer, they didn't watch him this close. It's like they're trying to spend as much time with him as possible. I imagine today was Edmund's breaking point."

"I feel bad for him. Can you imagine if our parents watched us that closely?" I snorted at the thought, before snuggling into the covers.

"Way to give me nightmares." I told her sleepily.

Luckily, I had no nightmares of being under a microscope by my parents. Instead, I dreamt of Edmund, and what it would be like if, quite a few years from now, Edmund and I got married and had two or three tiny dark-haired children; Little Edmunds who would grow up with kind and loving parents. I lay in bed, trying to pin point what had woken me up. I heard Edmund in the kitchen, talking in normal voices with Polly. I got up quickly and changed, before walking down to the kitchen. They seemed to be in a serious conversation, so I decided to wait outside the kitchen door until they were done, not wanting to interrupt. Polly's voice was serious and grave, which wasn't common when she was talking to Edmund.

"Are you going to tell Peter tomorrow?" I furrowed my brow in confusion. _Tell Peter what? _Edmund's voice was almost laughing, the complete opposite of Polly's.

"I planned on it, but I don't know how to start that conversation. Hey, Pete, it's great to see you! So, we found out who my birth dad is, I made the honor roll, oh, and I'm going to die a slow and painful death. .." I think he said something after that, but the word 'die' kept rolling through my head. Once I got a grip on myself, I stormed into the kitchen, trying to fight back tears.

"What do you mean die?" I asked, losing my battle with crying. Edmund looked horrified and Polly wasn't much better. Even though I knew they heard me, I repeated myself, "What do you mean DIE?" Edmund winced, sending a look at Polly, who stood up and left. I sat down in the seat that she left, staring at him. He stood up, picked me up out of the chair, and sat down, with me now on his lap. Tucking my head into his shoulder, I felt safe and peaceful, like if I just stayed right here, nothing bad would ever happen to me. Except something bad was happening, "Tell me Edmund, please tell me." He sighed deeply, pulling me tighter to him.

"Last April, we found out about something called Shifts Syndrome. It means that my blood is slightly acidic. It's really rare, because it only runs through the males of your paternal family." My eyebrows furrowed at this, but tears were still running down my face.

"There has to be something they can do…" I sobbed out and he wiped several tears away from my face.

"Not at this point. If they would've caught it when I was little, they could've given me a series of blood transfers to fix the problem, but they didn't catch it until now, so there's nothing they can do." He wiped more tears from my face and kissed my cheek.

"How is this going to kill you Edmund?"

"The acid in my blood will wear away at my vital organs, starting with my heart. Eventually, it'll get to my brain, and then, that's it."

"How long do you…" I trailed off with another sob.

"Ten years is what they think, but fourteen if I'm lucky." Thirty… He'd be lucky to be alive at thirty. I sobbed into his shoulder, barely feeling him pick me up and carry me down the hall into his room. I was barely aware I had moved from the kitchen, until I was resting on a pillow that smelled so distinctly of Edmund. His arms were still around me, and he was stroking my hair, whispering into my ear. It was mostly nonsense, but every once in a while he would sneak in a quick 'I love you', followed by a kiss on my head. Once I was all cried out I sat up to look at him, before kissing him with everything I felt for him and everything I wanted with him, but might never get. He kissed back with everything he had, his own tears mixing with mine. This kiss tasted a lot like a goodbye, but it also said I love you in ways that Edmund could never seem to express. I think we fell asleep in that kiss, with his arms wrapped tightly around me. This time, my dreams were nightmares…


	20. Disclaimer 4

DISCLAIMER:  
>I OWN NOTHING!<p>

LITERALLY NOTHING!  
>Just the plot…<p>

*Sobs at inability to create amazing characters*


	21. When Brothers Come to Play

Polly's Pov

**A/N: I meant to put this at the end of the last chapter… SORRY!**

I walked into Edmund's room at dinner time, planning to wake him up to come eat, and then go track down Lucy. However, walking in, I found them tangled together on Edmund's bed. I was about to pitch a fit, when I saw the tear tracks on Lucy's face, as well as Edmund's. This made me pause, because, as far as Digory or I knew, Edmund had yet to even acknowledge the fact he was sick. So far, he hadn't told anyone, not even Corin and Lizzie. I know what today was to him…

It was a reality check.

**A/N: Now onto Chapter 21**

***Warning* Explicit Language in this chapter!**

**A LOT OF IT!**

Lucy's Pov

I woke up the next morning when it was still dark out, tangled up from head-to-toe in Edmund's arms. Despite the fact that our legs were tangled together and Edmund's head was resting on my shoulder and his even breaths were hitting a less-than-innocent place, there was nothing sexual about the position. It took me a minute to remember why I was here, but when I did, I pulled Edmund closer.

Dying. He can't be dying. He's Edmund. He saves me from nightmares and survives evil horses. He's been through more in sixteen years than I can even imagine. He had to be joking. But the tear tracks on his face told me otherwise. He's scared, if not downright terrified. I don't blame him.

As light started to trickle through the room, I felt him shift as he started to wake up. I watched his face as his brown eyes opened, blurry with sleep. He spotted me, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I just gave him a weak smile, which seemed to remind him why I was there. I studied his face, before breaking the silence.

"Are you scared?" I asked him in a whisper. If I spoke any louder, I was going to start crying again. He sighed and rolled on his back, still keeping his arm around me.

"I'm scared about what's going to happen to Mom and Dad, Peter and Susan, Corin, Lizzie…" He paused, turning his face from the ceiling to look at my face, "you." I wanted to tell him I would be fine, that he didn't have to be scared for me, that everything would be fine, and we'd all be okay, but I'd be lying. Instead, I leaned over and kissed him firmly. He seemed surprised for a minute, but kissed back soon after, rolling off his back and on top of me. I'm pretty sure we could've kept going forever, but we were broken apart by a voice in the door.

"Geez Ed, I thought you'd be excited to see me." Edmund pulled away, looking at his brother in irritation.

"Go away." He growled out, before leaning down to kiss me again, before I pushed him off, laughing. Edmund glared at Peter as I walked out of the door, back into my room to change.

As soon as I entered the room, Marjorie sent me a look.

"Someone didn't come home last night…" She trailed off, making me blush, "So, how was it?"

"How was what?" Even though I knew exactly what she was talking about.

"You know what I mean, how is Edmund in bed?" She asked, making me blush furiously at the thought.

"We didn't sleep together. We just slept… together." I tried to explain. I think Marjorie understood, because her face registered shock, amazement, and a little bit of anger.

"You mean you slept in your incredibly sexy boyfriend's room last night, and actually SLEPT!" She almost yelled, making me blush further.

"Will you keep it down? Yes, we just talked and slept. Do you really think I'm going to have sex with him, with his parents next door?"

"You didn't even kiss? Edmund looks like he'd be a good kisser." She got a dreamy look on her face, making me pick up her bottle of hair spray and throw it at her.

"Don't fantasize about my boyfriend!" She sent me a look, "I'm not answering the question. That's confidential information." I told her, grabbing clothes and heading to the shower.

I walked into the kitchen, showered and fully dressed to find Edmund sitting at the table, talking with a woman, around Peter's age, with fair skin and ginger hair, which curled gracefully around her ears.  
>"Ella, you better keep him away from me, I'm serious." To this, the girl, Ella, just laughed.<p>

"I'll try my best Ed, but I can only do so much. Eventually, he's going to mother you. It would be best to just let him have his say and get it over with." She said in a tinkley voice that made me smile. I went and sat beside Edmund, just as he muttered out something that sounded an awful lot like 'Traitor.' "You must be Lucy?" Ella asked me, holding a hand out for me to shake. I nodded and took her hand, "I'm Ella, Peter's Fiancé." Her face showed so much pride at that statement, it made me smile.

"It's nice to meet you."

"It's even nicer to meet you." she said, picking up her coffee cup, "I couldn't wait to meet the girl who has little Eddy all in a tizzy" I looked at Edmund and noticed that he was bright red, making me laugh.

"Well, here I am." I told her with a grin, making Edmund turn even redder and leave the table, muttering.

"I'll take Peter over you two…" I managed to catch as he walked out the door, making me laugh.

"So, he told you?" Ella asked, tucking a red curl behind her ear. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Told me what?"

"About being sick?" She said, and I could tell she was picking her words carefully, in case I didn't know. I had to pick mine carefully too, in case she wasn't talking about the same thing.

"Yeah, he told me something." I said cautiously, hoping I wasn't revealing too much. She smiled at me, a sad smile that told me we were on the same page.

"He called last April to tell Peter, but Peter wasn't home." Tears were flooding Ella's eyes now, "When I told him that, he just burst into tears. It took me twenty minutes to get him to calm down enough to breathe and tell me what was wrong." She wiped one of the tears that had fallen, "I think he just needed someone to talk to, because he still hasn't told Peter."

"That's how I found out." I told her, wiping my own tears, "He was asking Polly what the best way to tell Peter would be."

"I think they're going riding. He'll probably bring it up then." She said, taking a bite of the toast that was sitting on her plate, "So, tell me about yourself Little Miss. Lucy."

Three hours later, Ella and I had moved into the living room, joined by Marjorie, and we all were watching a really crappy lifetime movie, yelling at the stupidity of the characters.

"Really? If she's always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty on Christmas Eve, why hasn't she gone?" Ella yelled, like the big sister I always wanted.

"I know! Why does he need to come back and take her? She can get on the subway, take a taxi, or any combination of the two!" Marjorie exclaimed, making me laugh.

"Like we tried to do last Thanksgiving, so we could go watch the parade?" I said between giggles, making Marjorie laugh with me.  
>"I never want to go to the Bronx again!" She said, before completely collapsing in laughter.<p>

"What happened?" Ella asked, looking between us. I finally composed myself enough to answer.

"We tried to take the subway to Midtown, but somehow ended up in a very, very sketchy part of the Bronx." I burst into giggles and couldn't finish, but Marjorie had composed herself at that point, so she finished the story.

"While Lucy was calling for a cab, a really creepy car came up and asked me how much per hour." She started laughing again, "Instead of getting offended, I just smiled at him, winked, and told him I was fourteen. I didn't think a Sedan could drive that fast." The both of us were hysterical at this point, and Ella looked stunned, before we heard Peter in the doorway.

"Ella, can I talk to you?" We all turned and looked, seeing that his fists were clenched and, despite the tear tracks on his face, he looked furious. I noticed Edmund behind him, looking stoic, before placing a light hand on his shoulder, which Peter shook off almost instantly. Edmund's face darkened before he stalked out of the house, letting the door slam behind him. I stood up and followed him, knocking Peter out of the way and into a wall on my way, angry that he had obviously done something to upset Edmund.

I found Edmund on the ground inside Philip's pen. I went and sat beside him, knowing he would talk when he was ready.

"He acted like it's my fault I'm sick." Edmund whispered, and I leaned into him, just letting him talk, "He made me feel like I did something wrong, or should've done something different…"

"It's not true." I told him, "You're sick. It's not like you caught the flu because you stood outside in the cold."

"Should they have tested me? My mom, I mean…" He asked, more to himself than to me, "They tested Peter, and he came up negative, but my birth dad is Andrew's brother, my birth mom should've tested me…"

"They didn't know you would get it…" I told him, but it sounded weak, even to my own ears.

"It just seems like when I was born, everyone was out to protect themselves. I don't think anyone ever really thought about protecting me…" He trailed off again, like he had too many thoughts in his head, but couldn't pick which ones to say out loud, "I was a baby, and my birth mom didn't get me tested because she didn't want Andrew to find out who it was she was fucking on the side; Alex, my birth dad, was so scared to tell his brother that I'm his that he wouldn't insist on it, and Andrew couldn't give a shit if I lived or died. I think about it, and I really don't think anybody ever loved me until I moved here."

"Peter and Susan love you." I told him, hoping I was saying the right thing. I wasn't obviously, because he gave a humorless laugh, which made my stomach drop.

"Peter and Susan love me when it fits into their schedule. Otherwise, I'm an inconvenient responsibility; just something they have to deal with, but don't really want to."

"What do you mean?" I asked, watching his face crumple. It made my heart break to hear what he really thought. I doubt he's ever told this to anyone, especially Peter and Susan.

"They only come and visit if they're in the area, or if I'm in the hospital. Hell, Susan called in May to wish me a happy birthday."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked, but then gasped, when it really hit me what he had said.

"My birthday is in October." I winced at the cynical tone, leaning closer, trying to provide some comfort through the touch, "I haven't seen Susan since last summer when I was in the hospital."

"She didn't come and see you around Christmas, you told me Peter did?" He let out another dark laugh.

"No, she went to some island with friends from school." He imitated his best Susan voice, which despite the circumstances made me laugh, "Oh Edmund, I'm sorry! I simply can't make it to Christmas this year! Madeline's father is paying for all of us to go down to the Bahamas. I just can't pass it up!" He sent me a wry smirk, "Sent me a post-card though."

"That's horrible!" I exclaimed, wondering how anyone could ever do that to their brother.

"That's how it's always been, I just never noticed." He gave a big sigh, "I think before the Kirkes adopted me, I was just looking for someone who would at least pretend they gave a damn, I was willing to take what Susan and Peter gave me, like the good brother they said I was." He stopped, seemingly lost in thought.

"And now?" I prompted, making him look at me.

"Now, I don't need it anymore." He said, his face filled with a fierce resolve, "I'm not the kicked puppy I was two years ago, if they don't want to be there for me all the time, they can fuck off." He turned to me and smiled, looking happy with his decision.

"Good for you." I told him, before he leaned down and crashed his lips on mine, and we started continuing what we had started this morning.

Edmund's Pov

I shifted, wondering in the back of my head why my pillow smelled like flower soap. It wasn't laundry day until tomorrow, so I didn't have a fresh pillow case. I pried my eyes open and found myself lying on a shoulder. I shifted again, looking straight into Lucy's face. I was only confused for a minute, until she smiled, and yesterday came flooding back to me.

"Are you scared?" Lucy whispered her voice thick from sleep and tears. I rolled off of my side, but kept an arm around her waist. I thought about my answer, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm scared about what's going to happen to Mom and Dad, Peter and Susan, Corin, Lizzie…" I paused and turned to look at her, "you." She stared at me, and I was afraid she was going to offer weak comforts, but instead, she just kissed me. I was surprised, because this wasn't a tiny peck on the lips, but a full-on make-out session kiss.

Once I got over my surprise, I rolled over, supporting myself on one arm but still covering most of her body, and kissed back just as fervently.

It could've been hours or minutes when an extremely annoying voice came from the doorway.

"Geez Ed, I thought you'd be excited to see me." Peter joked, making me glare at him and growl.

"Go away." As I tried to lean down and kiss Lucy again, she pushed me away with a giggle, making me glare at Peter, "Thanks, I appreciate that."

"Any time little brother." He smiled, before spotting my arm, "What happened to your arm?" His face was worried and confused, making me hold back laughter as I found clothes to wear and headed to the shower.

"Nothing, two weeks ago I woke up and thought it would be fun to get a cast put on."

Once I was out of the shower, I started to walk down the hallway, and heard Marjorie shouting from the girl's bedroom, albeit muffled through the door,

"You didn't even kiss? Edmund looks like he'd be a good kisser." _Why, thank you! _I heard the thump of something hitting the floor, and then Lucy's voice, muffled, but also a bit angry.

"Don't fantasize about my boyfriend!" I tried to hide my snickers until I was far away from the door, and made it to the kitchen before bursting into hysterical laughter.

"What's so funny Ed?" Ella asked from the table, making me jump, before smiling again.

"Oh, I just overheard my girlfriend and her friend talking about me."

"Oh, what did they say?" She asked with a curious smile, pushing a strand of red hair behind her ear.

"Well, Marjorie, the friend, said I look like I'm a good kisser, then Lucy, my girlfriend, threw something and told her to stop fantasizing." Ella laughed with me, until my cast caught her eye, and she shot me a disapproving look.

"What did you do this time?" I gave her an innocent smile.

"This one wasn't my fault. A horse got spooked and reared up. She kicked me right in the chest."

"Just wait until Peter gets a hold of you…"

"Ella, you better keep him away from me, I'm serious." I told her seriously, despite the fact that Peter and I were going to have a private conversation.

"I'll try my best Ed, but I can only do so much. Eventually, he's going to mother you. It would be best to just let him have his say and get it over with." Her voice was practically laughing at me and I couldn't help but start muttering under my breath. I was cut off when Lucy sat down beside me and I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Ella smiled, before holding out her hand, "You must be Lucy?" Lucy took the proffered hand with a nod, "I'm Ella, Peter's Fiancé."

"It's nice to meet you." Lucy replied with a smile in her voice.

Ella took a drink of her coffee, before responding, "It's even nicer to meet you. I couldn't wait to meet the girl who has little Eddy all in a tizzy" I turned bright red, and could slowly feel this situation falling out of my control.

"Well, here I am." Lucy responded with laughter in her voice, making me blush and stand up, walking out the door toward the barn, muttering as I went.

"I'll take Peter over you two…"

Peter was exactly where I expected him to be; standing by Flisk's pen, petting the horse. I grabbed a saddle and laid it over the wooded rail he was leaning on. Peter turned to look at me with surprise, but I had just gone over and started to saddle Phillip.

"Saddle up Pete." He just stared it like it was going to hurt him, until Digory came over and helped him.

"Poor city boys, right Edmund?" He called to me, as I made quick work of saddling Phillip.

"I know! Can't even handle the easy things."

"Shut up Ed, you couldn't get around on a subway if you tried." Peter shot out, looking for some way to regain his dignity. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Really? Does the 9 train still run from Manhattan? I always took that one to Brooklyn when I was in foster care with Sopespians." I just stared at him, daring him to tell me I didn't know what I was talking about, at the same time shuttering at the memory.

"No, it's the F-line now. There's no 9 train anymore." I nodded, turning to Dad.

"Hey Dad, is it cool if we take the longer trails?" I asked, sending him a look. I tilted my eyes to Peter hoping he would get the hint.

"Yeah, why don't you guys take the River Rush trail, there's some nice views there." I gave him a gracious smile as he threw me a walkie-talkie, and left the barn. I turned to help Peter with his saddle, talking him through it as I went. Once we were on the trails, we just started talking. Peter did most of the talking; I mostly listened and tried to figure out a way to tell him about being sick. We stopped at a little area to let the horses rest, and because Peter's ass couldn't take being on a horse for two hours straight, when Peter turned to me.

"Are you all right Ed?" He asked, shooting me a sideways look, "You're acting more somber than usual."

"I think you should sit down…" I told him, trying to remember the thousands of different ways I had thought up on how to tell him, but none of them seemed appropriate. I fell on the ground beside him, and he shot me a worried look.

"Ed, what is it? You're acting like someone died." He told me, reaching for my hand.

"Do you remember when you were a kid and they had your blood tested a lot?" I asked, thinking this would be a good place to start. I felt him nod, but didn't turn to look.

"Yeah, they were testing for some blood disorder, shifting syndrome or something. How do you know that? You were just a baby and they never had you tested."

"Did you know that not only are you my half-brother, you're also my cousin?" I told him, looking at him, hoping he would figure it out, so I didn't have to say it.

"So you're Uncle Alex's son?" He questioned, obviously confused. I felt a flare of anger at him for that.

"No, I'm Digory and Polly Kirke's son. Alexander Taylor was just the sperm donor." Peter squeezed my hand, before gasping out loud.

"They never had you tested…" He asked, and I nodded, "But you were tested recently?" I nodded again, "And?" I turned to him, tears falling, and nodded one more time.

"I found out at the end of April. They tested me when I was in the hospital for collapsing at track practice. I had met Alex at the beginning of April, but none of us wanted to believe that it could be something like that."

"But, people die from Shifting Syndrome."

"It's Shifts Syndrome, not shifting. If you catch it early enough, like when you're a baby or toddler, they can do a series of transfusions to get out the bad blood."

"But they didn't catch it…"

"It was too late three years ago, when I had my first attack. My heart couldn't take the adjustments to the new blood. It'd kill me."

"But this is going to kill you!" He yelled, jumping up. I didn't stand up; I just kept looking at the stream we had stopped by. _Dad was right, it is pretty out here, _"You've got what, twenty years? You're just going to give up? Edmund, are you an idiot?" I looked up at him.

"Ten."

"What?" He said exasperated.

"I've got ten years, fourteen at most." At this news he fell down beside me.

"Ten years? Edmund, you have to try!" _Okay, now I'm pissed!_

"You're acting like I haven't thought this through. I've read the pamphlets, done the online research, talked to the doctors. It is a completely informed decision to not take the transfusions."

"Why, why won't you fight this?" He had jumped up again, and this time I stood up and stared him straight in the eye.

"Because I'll take a final ten year of being happy verses a final SIX MONTHS of being sick off my ass on every day that ends with a 'Y'!"

"Why didn't you call and tell me sooner! You've known since April, why didn't you tell me?"

"I called to tell you when I first found out, but you weren't home. I ended up sobbing on the phone with Ella."

"Ella Knew!" He practically roared, "Who else knew before your brother?"

"Brother? When was the last god damned time you called, or even took ten seconds out of your day to send a quick text?"

"We talked yesterday!" He said indignantly, which made me madder. _If he wants to duke it out with the boy with anger problems, bring it on! _

"I called you asshole! And tell me the honest truth; did you and Ella have any plans of stopping here? I know the answer; it hadn't even crossed your mind. So why in the HELL are you mad that you weren't the first person to know? If you gave a flying fuck, you would call more often than on my birthday and on Christmas."

"I don't just call then." He told me indignant.

"Oh, I forgot, you called to tell me you got promoted. And ELLA called to tell me that you two got engaged." I reminded him, pure anger flowing through me. I wanted nothing more than to punch him right now, so instead, I stalked back over to Phillip and pulled myself up, "Get your ass in gear, we have to get home before MY FAMILY has a fit."

After a very silent ride back to the ranch, with me too angry to say anything rational, I took the tack off of both horses and stalked up to the house. I heard laughter in the living room, and tried to compose myself enough so that I wouldn't seem as terrifying as I can be. Instead of calm, I could only manage a stoic simmer. Peter stepped into the doorway to the living room, where the girls were watching some movie where everyone lives and has a happy ending.  
>"Ella, can I talk to you?" His entire tone radiated anger, and I placed a hand on his shoulder, not wanting him to take this out on Ella. He shook my hand off, making my anger rise again. I stalked out of the house and down to the barn, only to collapse on the floor in Phillip's pen. Five minutes later, Lucy came and just sat beside me, not saying anything, which allowed me to get my thoughts in order.<p>

"He acted like it's my fault I'm sick." Lucy leaned onto my shoulder as I barely managed to rasp this out, "He made me feel like I did something wrong, or should've done something different…"

"It's not true." She said in a calm voice, making me relax and lean back against the wall of the barn, "You're sick. It's not like you caught the flu because you stood outside in the cold." I was quiet for a few minutes, before starting to voice my thoughts out loud.

"Should they have tested me? My mom, I mean, they tested Peter, and he came up negative, but my birth dad is Andrew's brother, my birth mom should've tested me…"

"They didn't know you would get it…" Lucy's responded half-heartedly, like she didn't believe what she was saying. I took a few minutes to straighten out my thoughts again.

"It just seems like when I was born, everyone was out to protect themselves. I don't think anyone ever really thought about protecting me…" I trailed away, wondering where to start next, "I was a baby, and my birth mom didn't get me tested because she didn't want Andrew to find out who it was she was fucking on the side; Alex, my birth dad, was so scared to tell his brother that I'm his that he wouldn't insist on it, and Andrew couldn't give a shit if I lived or died. I think about it, and I really don't think anybody ever loved me until I moved here."

"Peter and Susan love you." She said, obviously trying to make me feel better. I just gave a dark laugh.

"Peter and Susan love me when it fits into their schedule. Otherwise, I'm an inconvenient responsibility; just something they have to deal with, but don't really want to." I told her, my face falling at hearing the words out loud. They had been swimming in my head so long, but I hated hearing them out loud.

_*Flashback*_

"_Ed, I'm sorry! I'm not going to be able to make your track meet. Ella and I are going over to some friend's for a barbeque tonight."_

"_That's okay Pete, I understand."_

_*Flashback*_

"_Edmund, I know I promised I'd come, but there's a huge party after exams, and everyone has to be there!"_

"_That's okay Su, I understand."_

_*Flashback*_

"_Oh Edmund, I'm sorry! I simply can't make it to Christmas this year! Madeline's father is paying for all of us to go down to the Bahamas. I just can't pass it up!"_

"_I understand."_

"_I'll send you a post-card, I promise!"_

"_That'd be great."_

_*Flashback*_

"_Happy Birthday Edmund!" _

"_Susan, it's May."  
>"Yeah, your birthday is in May, isn't it?"<em>

"_No, my birthday is in October. I'll take this as an early happy birthday though."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry Edmund! I could've sworn…"_

"_It's okay Sue, I understand."_

I sighed as the memories passed through my head, always the same weak excuses, but I always understood. "That's how it's always been, I just never noticed." The truth hit me like a ton of bricks. _No one gave a damn until I was fourteen. _"I think before the Kirkes adopted me, I was just looking for someone who would at least pretend they gave a damn. I was willing to take what Susan and Peter gave me, like the good brother they said I was…" I trailed off, lost in my thoughts, but coming to a fierce conclusion.

"And now?" Lucy asked, and I turned to her.

"Now I don't need it anymore. I'm not the kicked puppy I was two years ago. If they don't want to be there for me all the time, they can fuck off." I smiled at Lucy, not as upset by the decision as I thought I would be.

"Good for you." She managed to say, before I leaned down and captured her lips and pulled her into my lap, in a valiant effort to recreate this morning.

Peter's POV

After being thoroughly reamed out by Ella, who put a lot of what Edmund said into perspective, I went to the barn in an effort to find him. I heard him talking to Lucy in one of the stalls and was going to walk away when I heard Lucy say my name.

"Peter and Susan love you." This was followed by a dark laugh from Edmund.

"Peter and Susan love me when it fits into their schedule. Otherwise, I'm an inconvenient responsibility; just something they have to deal with, but don't really want to." I felt my heart plummet. _Is that what he really thinks?_

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, and I was squirming with anxiety.

"They only come and visit if they're in the area, or if I'm in the hospital. Hell, Susan called in May to wish me a happy birthday." WHAT! Surely Susan knows his birthday is in November?

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"My birthday is in October." I winced because, apparently, not only did I not know when my brother's birthday is, I also forgot to call, "I haven't seen Susan since last summer when I was in the hospital."

"She didn't come and see you around Christmas, you told me Peter did?" _Why didn't Susan come?_ Edmund just said she was busy, but that couldn't be the whole story. Edmund gave another dark laugh.

"No, she went to some island with friends from school." He said, before putting on a high pitched giggly tone, which I assumed was supposed to be Susan,"Oh Edmund, I'm sorry! I simply can't make it to Christmas this year! Madeline's father is paying for all of us to go down to the Bahamas. I just can't pass it up!" My blood boiled at this, before Edmund continued in a sarcastic voice, "Sent me a post-card though." _He sounds used to it._

"That's horrible!" Lucy yelled, in obvious anger.

"That's how it's always been, I just never noticed." Edmund sighed out, like he was tired of dealing with something _or someone_, "I think before the Kirkes adopted me, I was just looking for someone who would at least pretend they gave a damn, I was willing to take what Susan and Peter gave me, like the good brother they said I was." I froze. My entire body seemed to shut down at this. _Pretend?_ We were never pretending! Maybe we never cared quite as much as we should've, but it was never pretend. Did Edmund honestly think we didn't love him? I wanted nothing more than to run out of the barn, but forced myself to stay. I think I need to hear this.

"And now?" Lucy asked.

"Now, I don't need it anymore. I'm not the kicked puppy I was two years ago, if they don't want to be there for me all the time, they can fuck off." He doesn't need us. Even worse, he doesn't even want us. Is this how he feels? Unwanted, unloved, used? Was he just tired of playing the patron saint of abused brother hood, but too afraid to tell us? Sure, Dad beat him for a year, but Susan and I have been mentally kicking his ass for nine years. Is it something about the Taylor kin that makes him an easy target? I know what this means… It's time to grow up. I need to be the big brother that I'd deluded myself into thinking I was… but never have been.

"Good for you." Lucy said, and there was momentary silence, before I heard a few quiet moans coming from their direction, and I don't think it was the horse.


	22. CATFIGHT!

A/N: I have to start with this I guess… SORRY! It's been six months and 13 days since I last looked at this story… SORRY! Life, in so many different forms, got in the way. Please, when you throw your rotten tomatoes, be gentle! I'm so So SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! Please forgive me!

P.S: After all the angsy sadness I fed you, I have two beautiful chapters of fluffy goodness… Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Edmund's POV<p>

I sat at the kitchen table, still in my Gumpas uniform, after working the nightshift. Mom was making me choke down a plate of eggs and toast before I was allowed to go to sleep. She sat the eggs in front of me and I slowly started to eat. I was half-way done when Marjorie came in with a smile.

"Good, you're still awake!" She chirped, far too happily for my taste. I raised my fork in acknowledgement, before shoveling another bite into my mouth.

"Sadly, that's a true statement." I told her, sending Mom a tiny glare. Marjorie just smiled, once again way too chirpy.

"Well, there's a group of little girls down in the barn asking for you. Digory said they're your fan club." She was clearly holding back laughs, which Mom wasn't even bothering to do, since she was openly laughing at me right now. I let out a groan, before dropping my head to the table.

"Edmund, you have to go see them," Mom told me, biting back giggles, "They might have brought you another bracelet they made." I groaned again, before stalking out of the door and down to the barn, biting back yawns.

Sarah Swanwhite, Gael Lone (Rhince's daughter), and Liln Archenland (Corin's cousin) all came to the ranch for an Adventure Girl camp out and riding lesson. We escorted them on the trails, left them with a walkie-talkie, and picked them up in the morning. However, the next morning I couldn't take Phillip (who is a lovely shade of brown) to get them because he had dropped a shoe, so I had to take Flisk (who is a pristine white). Apparently when anyone rides a white horse, even if they're wearing jeans and an extremely wrinkled t-shirt, they're automatically Prince Charming. _Lucky me…_

I was outside of the barn, and already able to hear the girlish giggling which only girls under the age of twelve are able to make. I bit back a groan and walked in; taking in Lucy's smiling face and my dad's grin. I sent them both a sarcastic smile, before I was attacked by the three girls.

"Edmund, we were afraid you weren't going to be here this time." Sarah told me, her long blond hair in two French braids down her back. I bit back a yawn, before I knelt down to their level, despite still being in my beige work pants. _Serves Mom right; Have fun with the stains!_

"Yeah, I was just about to go take a nap, but I decided I'd come see you three first." Liln started to giggle, and both girls looked at her.

"You can't take a nap now…" She told me, her face letting me know it was supposed to be the simplest thing on the planet.

"Why can't I?" I asked her, smiling, "I think this is a great time to nap." _It really is a great time…_

"You can only nap after lunch!" Liln told me, making the other girls giggle, before Gael held up a bag of plastic beads.

"We brought a craft that we can do together." She told me, grabbing my hand and pulling me outside to sit in the grass.

"Boys aren't supposed to play with beads, but we'll let you." Sarah told me, making me smile, "Just not the glitter ones."

Although I didn't do much beading, I did end up cutting all the string for them and tying the knots when they finished necklaces. After three hours, Sarah's mom, Helen, was back to take the three girls home, and I had acquired three glitter necklaces, five bracelets, and a "Magic" ring to give to Lucy. All during our beading adventure, I had learned all about the latest in boy bands and how Jimmy in their class was _Dreamy_! When Helen walked over, I gave a giant yawn and she looked at me, concerned.

"What's the matter Edmund?" She asked, putting a hand on my cheek, "You're not sick again are you?" I was about to answer, when Gael popped in.

"He worked with my daddy last night." She said, grinning, "Daddy says that Mr. Gumpas works him like a sonofawitch." I snorted to hold back my laughter, and Helen seemed torn between scolding Gael and bursting into laughter. Instead she turned to me, a small smile playing on her lips as she swatted at my arm.

"Why didn't you say something? You should be in bed!" She told me, making me laugh.

"Liln says I'm not allowed to nap until after lunch." I said, watching Liln nod in satisfaction that I had learned my lesson, "Besides, look at all the cool jewelry I have for my collection now." Helen rolled her eyes, before swatting at me again.

"Alright girls, say 'Thank you' to the Kirke's." She ordered gently, making all three girls reply in unison.

"Thank You!" They all hugged my legs, before rushing over to the mini-van, making me laugh. Helen kissed me on the cheek in a motherly way, before heading over to the van herself. Once the mom-mobile had pulled out, I gathered up all of my treasures, before walking slowly back up to the house.

Walking into the kitchen, I threw all the beads on the counter before leaning against it. I knew if I sat down I would fall asleep. Mom and Lucy looked up from where she was sitting, flipping through some of the paperwork.

"Did you have fun with the girls?" She asked flatly, making me smile.

"I didn't mind it." I told her, handing her one of the necklaces that the girls gave me, "I know much more about Justin Bieber now than I did before." This made her laugh and smooth my hair down. Lucy stood up and walked over to my side, leaned against my chest and kissed my cheek. I picked up the ring the girls made for her and held it out.

"Oh Edmund, did you make it just for me!" Lucy teased, putting the elastic on her pinkie.

"Keep it up… I'll give the magic ring to Marjorie." I told her, making her flush and simmer. Mom looked between the two of us before giving me a smile and patting me on the shoulder.

"Good luck." She whispered in my ear, making me furrow my eyebrows. I looked a Lucy as mom left the room, and noticed that she was still simmering.

"Okay, I said something wrong…" I told her, "What was it?" She looked up at me, giving a forced smile.

"Oh, nothing…" She told me, refusing to meet my eyes but grabbing my hand. I put my hand under her chin, forcing her to look at me.

"Bullshit." I told her, making her give me a real laugh, "What's wrong?"

"It wasn't anything you said, per say, but Marjorie and I got in a fight this morning and it's got me a little on edge." I narrowed my eyes in curiosity.

"What was the fight about," I asked, "And what does it have to do with me giving Marjorie a glittery ring made out of pony beads?"

"Well, Corin and Marjorie broke up…" She told me, which made me snort. Corin doesn't stay in a relationship; he goes on long series of dates.

"Yeah, because no one saw that coming," I snuck in, before she continued.

"Well, she's got her sights set on someone new." She said, almost shyly. My eyebrows locked together and I frowned. I let the question go unasked, but Lucy knew anyway, "She wants you."

It took everything in me not to laugh out loud. _Me and Marjorie! _The idea alone, just due to the fact that I can only spend twenty minutes with her before she starts annoying me, is insane.

"I don't think you have to worry Lu." I told her, picking at the glitter ring and sliding it around on her pinkie, "All my wooing efforts are focused on you right now." Lucy laughed and leaned forward, wrapped her arms around my neck, and pressed a deep kiss on my lips. We broke apart and I smiled at her, "What was that for?"

"Just 'cuz I love you!" She giggled, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. I'm not sure I'm ready for 'I Love You' yet. Instead, I tried something else that I knew would mean a lot to her.

"I think I should take you on a date." I told her, enjoying the look of surprise that covered her face, "And not an escape mission to go swimming, I mean, like, a real date."

"I think I'd like that." She replied, smiling shyly with a blush on her cheeks.

"Great. So, tomorrow night, six o'clock?" She nodded, and I stretched my back, "Now, I worked all night and it's nap time." I leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead, before heading to my room to go to sleep.

* * *

><p>Lucy's POV<p>

_A/N: Verbal Catfight warning!_

I woke up and saw Marjorie sitting on her bed, fully dressed. I stood up and sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay Maggie?"

"I'm fine, Corin and I broke up." She told me in a neutral tone, not seeming upset.

"Oh, I'm sorry?" I told her, not knowing how to respond. She cracked a smile at me.

"Nah, we were warned, remember?" She told me, laughing a little, "It was just a little shocking."

"Well, you seemed to bounce back quick enough." She gave me a side-ways look, like she wanted to tell me something, "What is it Maggie?"

"Um… I think I like someone else." She told me, meeting my eyes for a moment, before looking back at her hands. It took a moment for me to figure out why she was so nervous, but only a moment…

"Edmund…" I asked quietly, slightly nervous. Instead of answering, she just nodded. My eyes widened, before narrowing, "No." I told her firmly, "You can try for any other guy, but not Edmund." She turned to me, previous anxiety gone; now looking angry.

"It's not really your choice, is it? What if Edmund decides you, the girl who cheated on him last year, aren't necessarily the best choice? What if he starts to think 'Hmm, there's girl who is obviously more attractive than my current girlfriend, who wants me and is willing to give me everything, and has never cheated on me. Perhaps she would be the better choice.'"

"Give him everything," I scoffed at her, "You haven't been able to give someone everything since eighth grade. And since we're on the topic of reasons to give you a chance, let's not forget that it was your fault that he got a concussion, broke an arm, and could've aggravated his heart condition."

"He said he forgave me for that. Trust me; it's a lot harder to redeem yourself from being a cheater." She told me with a superior look that I wanted to smack off of her face. I was about to respond, before she stormed out of the room. I had no doubt that she was going to the barn to flirt with MY boyfriend. I would've chased after her, but I was still in my pajamas.

After getting dressed, spending a little extra time picking out my clothes because Marjorie had had time to get her fingernails into MY Edmund, I walked into the living room, spotting Polly on the couch.

"Where's Edmund?" I asked, trying to sound casual. (I don't think it worked, if the strange look Polly gave me is any indication.)

"Where else? Down in the barn, working with some of the girls who are in love with him." My eyes widened at this statement, making Polly smile. She patted the spot next to her on the couch. I sat down, laying my head on her shoulder. "Don't worry; they're only eight-years-old." I laughed, but my stomach still clenched.

"Where's Marjorie?" I asked bitterly, trying not to sound a jealous as I felt.

"I didn't need any help with paperwork today, so I think Digory has her cleaning stalls in the barn." Polly told me. I got a small amount of satisfaction from hearing that she had the worst job on the ranch.

"Oh, okay." I responded, less angry than before. Polly rubbed my back, with my head still on her shoulder.

"SO are you going to tell me why you and Marjorie are fighting, or do I just have to guess?" Polly asked, petting my hair. I sat up, looking her in the eye.

"How did you know?"

"I heard you two this morning. I also heard my son's name, so I deserve to know what he's gotten himself into now."

"Okay," I told her, laying my head back on her shoulder, thankful I got to tell her the whole story. "Marjorie and Corin broke up, which apparently isn't surprising, "Polly gave a hum of agreement, but didn't interrupt, "Well, since she's not with Corin anymore, Marjorie wants to date Edmund now. And some of the things she said to me, before going to find him, really hurt."

"If you don't mind, what did she say?" Polly asked, rubbing my back. I picked my head up to look Polly in the eye, like she deserved, while I told her exactly why Edmund and I had broken up.

"She reminded me that I was the reason we broke up last winter." I stuttered out, beating around the bush. Polly sat up straighter, obviously realizing she was finally going to get the full story of our breakup.

"Why was that?" She pressed. I'm sure she could see the anxiety on my face and was obviously intrigued.

"I cheated on him." I told her in a small voice, looking back at my hands and waiting for her to start yelling. When at least five minutes had passed and she had yet to say anything, I looked up at her and saw she was just staring. When I met her eyes it seemed to jolt her out of the trance she was in. However, instead of yelling, she just gave me a look that scared me. It was one that said she was looking for the answer to some unanswerable question. And I know what that question is: Why did I do it? When she finally spoke again, it wasn't in an angry tone, but instead in a soft whisper.

"Oh." Polly was still analyzing me, "So, while Edmund was being diagnosed with a fatal blood disorder, you were out with another boy?" Her voice was still a whisper, which made me wish she had been yelling. I nodded, which prompted her to just repeat, "Oh." Several moments passed in silence, before she spoke again, voice slightly stronger, "Is this a real relationship for you, or is just some fun during the summer? Because it's real to Edmund. He's in love with you. He might not say it often, or at all, but he is."

"No, this is real. I love him more than anything. When I think back, I can't believe I cheated on him. Everything about him is so perfectly un-perfect."

"Well, okay." Polly told me, before pulling me back into her arms. I was surprised, but not un-grateful.

"You're not mad at me?" I asked, my head now laying on Polly's stomach. I felt her let out a sigh, before rubbing my back.

"Lucy, I'm not the one who needed to forgive you." She told me, her voice soft and soothing, "If Edmund chose to give you a second chance, that's his choice. My job as his mom is to make sure he doesn't have to give you a third chance. It's my job to keep him safe, so I do everything I can to make sure I do that."

"I love you Aunt Pool." I told her, using my old nickname from when I was a little girl running around on the ranch during the summer, begging Uncle Digmory to let me ride a big horse.

"I love you too little LuLu." She said back, petting my hair and using my pet name.

I don't know how long we lay on the couch, but eventually we got up and started to make some lunch. While a casserole was in the oven, Polly and I sat down and started to work on finance reports for the people who board their horses here. Edmund walked in; letting the door slam behind him, before throwing a handful of, what looked like, pony bead necklaces onto the counter beside the refrigerator. Polly looked up at him with a smirk.

"Did you have fun with the girls?" She asked, making me smile. He gave us both a little smile, before handing Polly a purple and white beaded necklace.

"I didn't mind it." He said, making my mouth drop in shock. I didn't know Edmund liked kids, "I know much more about Justin Bieber now than I did before." Polly and I both laughed and Polly reached out to smooth Edmund's rumpled hair. I stood up and went to stand beside him, my fight with Marjorie not completely out of my head. He picked up a tiny beaded ring, with only two or three beads on it, and held it out to me. I slid it on my pinkie, before taking the opportunity to tease him.

"Oh Edmund, did you make it just for me!" He gave me a smirk, before replying.

"Keep it up… I'll give the magic ring to Marjorie." The entire mood in the kitchen shifted from teasing and light-hearted to angry and defensive. Polly stood up, patted Edmund on the shoulder and whispering something I couldn't hear, before walking out. He turned to me with a confused look.

"Okay, I said something wrong…" He said, before questioning, "What was it?" I almost wanted to laugh at his confusion, before remembering that it wasn't his fault. Instead of laughing or getting angry, I gave him and forced smile and wouldn't look in his eyes, muttering out that it was 'Nothing'. I only looked up when his strong calloused hands gently forced my eyes up. He made me laugh with his response.

"Bullshit. What's wrong?" I took his hand, comforting him that he didn't do anything.

"It wasn't anything you said, per say, but Marjorie and I got in a fight this morning and it's got me a little on edge." His face was an almost comical mixture of anger, indignation, and confusion, obviously still not aware how he fit into this.

"What was the fight about, and what does it have to do with me giving Marjorie a glittery ring made out of pony beads?" I sighed before telling him what happened.

"Well, Corin and Marjorie broke up…" I started, but was interrupted with a snort and sarcastic comment. If I wasn't so nervous, I would've laughed, "Well, she's got her sights set on someone new." His face was, once again, confused, still unable to figure out how he fit in. "She wants you." I told him shyly. His face immediately changed from confusion to suppressed laughter.

"I don't think you have to worry Lu. All my wooing efforts are focused on you right now." He told me, playing with the ring on my pinkie. I let out the breath I had been holding all morning, feeling at least ten pounds lighter, and giggled. Between the new sense of relief and the fact that Edmund, as usual, looked extremely sexy, even though he was just in his work shirt and khakis, I couldn't help but lean up and press a deep kiss on his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck. After a few moments, we separated and Edmund gave me a dazzling smile that made me want to kiss him all over again. "What was that for?"

"Just 'cuz I love you!" I told him with a smile, even though I knew he would never say it back. However, he replied with 'I Love You' in his own unique way, surprising me to China and back.

"I think I should take you on a date." He paused, "And not an escape mission to go swimming. I mean, like, a real date." I couldn't help the blush that covered my face, or the butterflies that were fluttering in my stomach. All of a sudden, I felt very shy, something I'd never been around Edmund.

"I think I'd like that."

"Great!" He told me, his face lighting up like fireworks, "So tomorrow night, six o'clock?" All I could do was nod, due to the amount of butterflies flying inside me; not only because of the prospect of a date with Edmund, but also, when he pushed away from the counter and stretched his back out, his florescent orange t-shirt rode up slightly, showing me a tiny bit of his perfect abs. He kissed my forehead, making it tingle, and then left the room, after giving some excuse about needing a nap. When I heard his door shut down the hallway, I couldn't help the squeal that erupted from me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Again, SOOOOOOOOO Sorry!**


	23. Abandoned

**ABANDONED**

**This story has been abandoned. I just don't know where else to go with it. I think I'm going to continue "A Different Kind of Kid" but I just lost my muse on this one.**

**SORRY!**


End file.
